Of Ravens and Doves
by NotWithoutHaste
Summary: AU. Mello and his friends are students at Wammy's Acedemy for the Gifted and Talented and they are bored out of their brains. When new student Near arrives two weeks into the new year he is pulled into their group and their world, and everyone gets far more than they bargined for.
1. Prologue

_A/N. Ok People,_ _I hope you enjoy and all reviews and feedback are welcome. =)_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

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The snow haired albino arrived with the oncoming autumn. As the campus had stirred into life two weeks earlier, students arriving back from their summer breaks, so too had the life begun to drain from the trees, the lively green being speckled with the occasionally signs of amber.

Nate observed all this through the window of the car, which was silently moving up the driveway. He wriggled his toes slightly, using the movements to readjust his askew socks. The vehicle passed a sandstone sign, engraved into it were the words: 'Wammy's Academy for the Gifted and Talented'.

'What was that, honey?' The cars driver asked.

Nate was pulled back into reality by the words, looking out the front of the car to see that they had nearly reached the schools main entrance.

'Nothing.' He murmured.

'Ok.' The driver replied. 'We're here.'

The car pulled to a stop at the front of the school, sitting in the shadow of a large building. The building itself was a large rectangular arch, its blocky modern design giving it the appearance as if someone had pulled a large rectangular piece out, leaving a squared arch in its place. This arch had been partially filled by a set of wide steps.

Nate observed this as he pushed open his door stepping with socked feet onto cold concrete. The driver came around the car, giving him an alarmed look.

'I was going to get the door for you Nate!' She said.

'I did not require assistance.' He replied.

After getting the bags out of the car Nate began to move toward the school. His mother grabbed his should turning his pyjama-clad body to face her and crouching in front of him, their eyes meeting.

'Are you ready, Honey? You can still change your mind if you want.'

'I will be fine.' He assured her in a calm deadpan, then after a momentary pause added. 'Mother.'

She pulled him into a hug, squeezing his small body tightly. Nate didn't react, waiting for her to let go of him.

'Ok.' She said, releasing the hug and standing. 'Lets go.'

…

'I'm bored.' Mello declared marching into his dorm, slamming the door loudly behind himself.

Matt looked up briefly at his room mate, appraising him through goggles before returning his attention to his Nintendo DS, clicking and tapping furiously.

Mello, who was picking things up in the kitchenette before discarding them saw this out of the corner of his eyes. He opened a cupboard door and shut it again loudly hoping to regain Matts attention. When this had no affect he kicked the nearest item (a bin) and said loudly:

'I'm bored.'

Matt closed his DS and looked up at Mello, partially annoyed, partially pitying.

'Well I'm busy.'

'You're just sitting around gaming.'

'As I said Mel, busy.'

'Well I want to do something.' Mello said, marching slightly to his left, then realising that it was no more interesting than the original spot slightly to the right, marched back again.

Matt sighed. 'Well go talk to Neo then, she's not doing anything.'

Mello sat down on a couch and began shifting around where he sat, his leather clothes squeaking when rubbed against the old leather couch.

'I don't want to go talk to Neo.' Mello whined loudly. 'She's in a mood.'

'She's always in a mood, man.'

'Yeah, but she's having one of her 'existential crisis'.' Mello said, aggressively mimicking quotation marks with his hands before letting his arms fall lifelessly back down.

'Oh.' Matt said. He opened the DS again, returning once more to Mario Kart. 'Well sorry dude, but I can't help.'

Mello huffed loudly and then stood up and moved to leave the room.

'Fine, I'm gonna go find some chocolate.'

'Sure thing, Mel.'

…

Nate and his mother followed Headmaster Watari down the halls, students milling in dorms with doors left open and passing them by. The three of them were followed by a group of Academy employee's, each carrying a large stack of boxes overflowing with toys.

'Your son will be taken care of here at Wammy's.' Headmaster Watari assured with a calm but commanding voice. 'Our students hardworking and accepting, our classes exemplary, and the teachers are the best.'

'But what if the other students are mean!' Nate's mother asked. 'He's only twelve!'

'Mrs River, your son is not the only student who is young for his age. Whilst his age disparity is the greatest, a twelve year old in a Sophmore class, he is not alone and will be fine.'

This did not seem to lessen Mrs River's agitation, however before she could continue her agitated questioning Headmaster Watari stopped at a door marked 2.18.

'And this, Nate, will be your room.'

He offered Nate a small key, smiling as he did. Nate took the key and unlocked the door, pushing it open with a small creak.

The room was small and unfurnished save for a narrow coverless bed in one corner. The walls were painted white, but had already begun to fade in places revealing drab concrete underneath.

'I trust everything is satisfactory?' Headmaster Watari asked.

'But there isn't and furni…' Mrs River began.

'It is satisfactory.' Nate said, cutting across Mrs River with his quiet voice.

'Excellent.' Headmaster Watari said. 'I'll have your timetable sent to you, your first class will be tomorrow. Shall I leave you and your mother to say goodbyes?'

Nate nodded, and after depositing the bags and boxes, headmaster Watari, along with the Academy staff, left the room.

Mrs River collapsed into tears, hugging Nate tightly.

'You're growing up so quickly.' She blubbered.

'I'm growing at the same pace as everyone else.'

'I know! It just seems so quick, and now your going to boarding school and you'll be so far away.'

'I'm only a two hour drive away.'

'That's so far!' Mrs River wailed.

'I will be fine.' Nate said extracting himself from her hug.

She stood and smiled at him weakly.

'I know, I know, you're going to make me proud, I just know it.'

She hovered in the doorway, looking at her white haired son. Nate turned and begun to unpack his belongings, arranging toys around the room.

'I'll have some furniture bought and sent here.' Mrs River said.

'That won't be necessary.'

'Don't be silly.' She said. 'I'll call you tonight ok.'

Nate nodded.

'And Nate, Honey. Try to make friends, ok?'

Nate nodded again. Mrs Rivers smiled slightly and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind herself. She'd never been good at goodbyes.

 **To Be Continued**

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 _A/N. Don't worry folks, that was only a prologue, the rest of the chapters will be longer. I'm planning to update this weekly so keep_ _your eyes peeled if you enjoyed what you read, all feedback welcome.=)_


	2. Chapter 1: In Want of Silence

_A/N: Here's the first full length chapter of the story, I know I said this was going to be weekly, but that lovely lady the Muse paid me a visit, so here we are. Enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

 **PART ONE  
**

"Deep into that darkness pering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."

-Edger Allen Poe, The Raven

* * *

Nate awoke the next morning curled up in one corner of his unmade bed. He gazed around the room whilst rubbing his bleary eyes. The floor was covered in a forest of toys; hundreds of plastic soldiers, dozens of towering transformers, and stacks of colouring books and puzzles jutting like mountains in the landscape of toy. Nate had been up late arranging, attempting to find the perfect aesthetic appearance for his plastic legions in the bland room. He looked over it his creation and gave himself a satisfied nod.

Nate crawled down to the other end of the bed where his still packed bags sat bags sat, with his new timetable resting on top. He picked it up and took in his classes for the day:

Period 1: History, Classroom H1.6

Period 2: Mathematics, Classroom F2.8

Recess

Period 3: Elective, Criminology P2.12

Period 4: Free Period

Lunch

Period 5: Elective, Psychology, Classroom P3.14

After memorizing the day's activities, Nate began the search through his bags for the required materials. He was doing this he thought to himself gingerly about History class, he'd only enrolled in Wammy's because of the advanced level classes and had no interest in regular lessons.

After a few minutes of searching, pulling out sets of identical white pyjamas and the bedspread that he hadn't yet used, Nate found what he had been looking for. An old toy rabbit that had been buried beneath all of the extra clothes his mother had packed for him.

'Good morning Usa.' He said quietly to the rabbit.

He picked Usa up and went to leave when a phone started ringing loudly, its annoying tone reverberating around the ugly walls. Nate went over to the counter and picked up the culprit item, a red mobile phone his mother had given to him to keep in contact with her. He hit the green 'answer call' button and held it to his ear.

'Nate!' His mother's loud voice chimed from the other end. 'How are you honey!'

'You called me yesterday, why are you calling me now?'

'Because I just couldn't wait until this evening, honey! I had to see how it was going! Ohhhh, how's class!'

'Its 8:45 class hasn't started yet.'

'Oh really, whoops! Silly Me! Well I'll let you get to it; I'll call tonight and check in, ok? Ok! Well bye, Nate, I love you!'

Mrs River said all this in a single breath. Nate patiently waited for her to utter the last syllable and then hung up quickly, placing the phone back on the kitchenette bench. He grabbed his room key on the way out, shutting and locking his door behind himself.

The hallways were filled with swarms of students, hurrying to class or clustering in groups of two and three to talk quickly. A frenzy of whispers erupted in each group that Nate passed, students giving him not-nearly-as-subtle-as-they-thought stares and saying to each other _'Is he new?' 'Did he just wake up?' 'Why is in pyjamas?' 'Is that a rabbit' 'He's so small, why's he in the sophomore dorm, he looks like a middle-schooler?' 'Do you think he owns shoes?'_

Nate ignored their remarks and walked onwards, his eyes fixed firmly downwards on the floor ahead. He gripped Usa a little tighter, holding the floppy rabbit close to himself as he navigated the corridors, mentally mapping the building out so he could find his way back. He looked down at the crumpled campus map he had been given and saw that H-Block was some distance from the sophomore dorms. Nate quickened his pace slightly.

…

 _Mello had been sleeping soundly, his mind occupied with the most erotic of dreams. He was swimming naked through a lake a melted chocolate. Dark chocolate, light chocolate, milk chocolate, milk chocolate all swirling together into the most stimulating concoction that he could possibly conceive. The soft sticky liquid oozed around him, filling his nostrils with the scent on coca beans. The sensation of the warm succulent, melted candy on his skin was so soothing and stimulating simultaneously that Mello thought he might melt too, dissolving into the ichorous mixture. He dived under letting his entire body get coated in the stuff before returning to the surface and drinking the stuff off his body, licking slowly, savouring every second…_

Mello was pulled out of his dream by a violent shake, the sensation of the liquid lake changing into his soft mattress. Mello fought to hang onto the dream, lazily trying to brush away whatever was shaking him. Chocolate lake, he thought to himself, chocolate lake…

He was shaken again, like he was being battered by a violent wind. His eyes shot open, ready to berate whoever had drawn him from such a perfect dream. A teenage girl, dressed in a scarlet boomer jacket and a grey scarf, filled his view her grey eyes inches away from Mello's own.

'Fuck!' He yelled, sitting upright, pulling his sheet to hide his near-naked body. 'Damn it Neo, how the hell did you get in here?'

The girl took a step back to avoid Matt who fell like a brick off the top bunk, having been awoken by the sudden yelling. He hit the dirty carpet face first with a dull 'thud'. Neo looked down at Matt, dressed in nought but his comic patterned underwear, and gave him a tired sigh.

'You guys didn't answer when I knocked.' She said in a sarcastic deadpan.

'Would you get the fuck out so we can get dressed?' Mello shouted.

Matt stood up groggily, readjusting his goggles, which had been thrown askew when he had hit the floor. He then began the search for some clothes to wear, rummaging around the mess of discarded shirts and companionless socks on the floor to find a complete outfit.

'Aw Mel, what does it matter, she's seen both of us naked before.' Matt said, and then added. 'But seriously Neo, how'd you get in?'

'Well,' Neo began, maintaining her sarcastic deadpan. 'I knocked and no one answered. So I tried to pick the lock with a bobby pin, but a teacher saw me and told me to stop. So I tried the window, but that was locked too, so I broke it with a rock.'

'You smashed our window?!' Mello shrieked.

Neo just pointed at the empty frame, the space devoid of the dusty glass that once that there. A fist-sized stone sat on the carpet surrounded by a cluster of glass shards that were lying on the carpet. Each shard was catching and refracting the early morning sun in a kaleidoscopic lightshow illuminated the room, colours dancing on the walls in a dazzling display.

'Sick.' Matt said, marvelling at the lights.

'No, not sick!' Mello shouted. 'She broke the god-damn window!'

'Well you wouldn't answer the door and class is starting.' Neo said.

Mello sighed; it was to early for any of Neo's no-damns-given attitude. He just wanted to sleep and go back to that scrumptious dream about chocolate, not have Neo wonder in and wake him up for goddamn class.

Wait.

'Neo, did you say class?' Mello said, jumping out of bed, seemingly uncaring now of the fact that he was only dressed in leather underwear in front of a girl.

'Yeah.' She said. 'It started, like, ah, I dunno, um, five minutes ago.'

'Shit!' Mello shouted.

'What?' Matt asked.

'We have history first!' When this statement didn't have an impact on the half-dressed Matt, Mello added. 'With Roger…'

'Shit!' Matt said.

Mello and Matt then dressed themselves at a lightning speed, with a bemused Neo watching on, readjusting her grey scarf. The three then hurried out of the room, running as fast as they could to H-Block.

…

Nate had arrived at the class at exactly 9:00am, when the class was set to start. He opened the door marked H1.6 and was assaulted with a wave of noise. The room was filled with students, all of whom looked half-asleep but they had all already begun stirring into an animated life, chatting about their respective weekends and the 'unfair' amounts of homework they had been set. Nate searched around the room and spied a row of seats up the back that were unclaimed. As Nate entered the room a hush fell over everyone followed by a maelstrom of whispers. _'Who is that?' 'The new kid?' 'He's way to young for this class.' 'He has a toy rabbit, that's so adorable.' 'What is he twelve?' 'Shut up Dave, you're twelve.' 'I am not, Mike you dick.' 'Call me that again I dare you.'_

'Silence everyone.' The teacher commanded standing up.

Nate noted how he was in many ways similar to Headmaster Watari; the teacher was old and bespectacled but emanated an aura of calm control that had the class subdued within a second of his speaking.

'Class, this is Nate River, a new student as I'm sure you've gathered, be less awful that usual, its his first day.' The teacher turned to Nate and smiled kindly. 'Nate, I'm Mr Ruvie, your new history teacher, please take a seat and the class will begin.'

Nate walked up to the back of the class, under the gaze of the entire class, and sat at one of the desk facing out a window. He placed Usa in one corner and turned to stare out the window when a pretty blonde girl and tall brunet boy a row in front interrupted him.

'Hi!' The girl said. 'I'm Misa Misa and this is Light! Guess we're classmates huh?'

Nate ignored her and turned back to the window, twirling a lock of his snow coloured hair.

'Don't worry.' The brunet said. 'You'll be fine, just first days nerves, I'm Raito, Raito Yagami, but everyone just calls me Light.'

'Light, Misa!' Mr Ruvie bellowed. 'Focus please.'

The two turned, their attention returned to what Mr Ruvie had written on the board. He was about to continue when the classroom door swung open with a loud crash and three puffing teens stumbled in. The first, Nate noted, was dressed had to toe in leather and had a unique scar across part of his face, like he had been burnt by the seething amounts of emotion he let flow from his expression. The second was wearing a red boomer jacket and a grey scarf despite the weather not being cold enough to justify it yet. She wore a scowl on her face, glaring at everything with her grey eyes as if she was grumpy at everything for just existing. The third was wearing goggles and a strange white-crimson stripped shirt and had a cigarette stuck between his teeth.

'Mello. Matt. Neo. You're Late, not that anyone is surprised.' Mr Ruvie said.

The entire class laughed loudly, this was some kind of running joke Nate guessed.

'Roger…' The leather-clad blonde began.

'That's Mr Ruvie to you Mello.'

'Roger!' Mello repeated slightly louder. 'We're some of your best students...'

'Though I'm not sure how.'

'… How can you hate us?'

Roger just gave Mello a slightly irate look, it was only the third week of term he thought to himself, he wasn't sure if he could tolerate of year of this. Mello and Matt responded with the biggest, cheesiest smiles they could manage. Neo scowled harder. This seemed to win Roger over as he relaxed his expression and with an exasperated sigh said:

'Just sit down, and don't smoke in class Matt.'

While Roger returned to his lesson the three moved toward the back of the room, regaining their breath as they did. When Mello noticed Nate sitting in the corner with his legs pulled up onto the chair he stopped, perplexed. He then turned around a demanded:

'Hey Roger…'

'Mr Ruvie.' Roger muttered.

'Whose this?' Mello asked pointing at Nate. 'Did Bo Peep lose one of her sheep?'

The entire class sniggered under their breath Nate lowered his reddening face. Roger gave Mello a disappointed look.

'That's our new student, Nate River.'

Nate lifted his head as the laughter stopped and the class resumed the lesson. Mello, Matt, and Neo sat at the three vacant desks along the back next to Nate. The girl, Neo, who was seated closest to Nate turned and whispered to him.

'I'm Neo, don't talk to me.'

She then turned back and faced the front, looking bored. _Well she's charming_ Nate though wryly and then returned to his view out the window. The hour-long class passed slowly, as if time were becoming stuck in the endless mire of boredom that students knew only to well. Roger droned on about the Civil Rights movement with the tired students quickly losing focus and some sneaking in subtle naps. Occasionally the blonde girl, Misa, would turn and give Nate a big smile but otherwise everyone ignored him.

'Alright.' Roger said. 'That's everything for today; you can have an early mark. Nate, have you had a campus tour yet?'

Nate shook his head.

'Ok, Neo, could you take him.'

'I would rather have my face melted by a fire.'

'Ok… Matt, how about you?'

The laid back Matt, who was collecting his items turned and responded.

'Sure thing Roger!'

'Mr Ruvie…'

'Come on little guy!' Matt said, grabbing Nate by the elbow.

Matt led Nate toward the front of the room, walking at a pace all to fast for the little Nate, who had barely had enough time to grab Usa from the desk before being dragged out of his chair.

'Hey Matt, what about me?' Mello shouted.

'Come with us if you want.' Matt responded.

'With him?' Mello said in regard to Nate. 'No way, I'll just meet you in Maths.'

'Ok then.' Matt said, 'Come on little guy!'

…

Matt had been dragging Nate around for nearly a quarter of an hour now, pointing out the different buildings and the classes that were housed in them. Nate followed as best he could, making a mental note of everything Matt said that he deemed important, compartmentalizing everything as best he could. However, he found Matts running monologue difficult to follow as there was simply no pattern to it, but rather he just seemed to speak whatever thought had managed to control his tongue for a few seconds, with Matt often jumping onto a new tangent before he finished the last.

'So that there is its for all the culinary students, I'm not even sure why you would come to a place like Wammy's if you were going to do cooking. Hey, do you reckon Watari and Wammy knew each other? Oh, Watari's office is at the schools main entrance, have you met Watari yet? He nice enough I suppose, a bit boring though, kinda like Roger. Hey what did you think of Roger's class? Lame right. Speaking of classes what electives are you taking little guy?'

Nate had become so used to Matt answering his own questions that when Matt waited for Nate to answer this one he was caught completely of guard, with no response ready.

'Oh, I um…'

Matt smiled at the floundering Nate, and gave him a friendly nudge.

'Hey I'm sorry, I forget myself and just run away with my thoughts you know? I didn't mean to intimidate you.'

'Its fine.' Nate said quietly.

'If you say so.' Matt replied with a knowing smile. 'So what electives are you taking?'

'I'm taking Psychology, Criminology, Law, and Ethics.'

Matt stopped and marvelled at the tiny Nate in white pyjamas.

'Whoa. Cute and smart.' He said cheekily.

Nate blushed and looked down, gripping Usa's soft body a little tighter with one hand and began twisting a lock of white hair with his other hand. Matt ruffled his hair and laughed.

'I'm sorry little buddy.' He said, then after looking at his watch added. 'Well damn we're late for class, what do you have now?'

'Mathematics in F2.8.' Nate said.

'Same class as me! I needed a new friend in that class, Mello and Neo are in different classes and L is no fun sometimes. Come on!'

Nate was grabbed once more by the elbow and dragged at a speed far faster than he normally moved to F block. Fortunately for both of them they were already nearby and the teacher, Mr Matsuda, was a happy go lucky kinda guy who just smiled and invited them in upon being late. Nate sat through this class much like he had the previous one, in total silence staring out a window. This time however Matt spoke at him the entire lesson, with his friend L interjecting occasionally, the lax Mr. Matsuda uncaring about Matts inattentiveness. Nate appreciated Matt's friendliness but just wished to be left alone. Despite Matts claim L was quite acceptable in Nate's mind, with the strange raven haired man not disturbing Nate much at all.

At the end of the lesson Matt invited Nate to join his friends at recess and lunch but Nate refused, calmly lying about the fact that he had things to get from his dorm. Matt told Nate where he and his accomplices could be found and left him with a broad smile.

The rest of the day was spent in a quiet solitude, Nate only venturing out of his room with his trusted Usa for his remaining two classes. A bossy Mr. Aizawa taught Psychology. He seemed nice enough but was quickly angered by the perceived slights of his students. The second class, Criminology, was taught by a much more tempered Mrs Misora, or as most of the boys said in infatuated tones 'Miss Naomi', seemingly ready to ignore the fact that the pretty teacher was in fact married.

Both the classes were uneventful save for Light and Mello, both of whom shared the lesson. The handsome brunet greeted Nate at the start of each lesson, asked him if he required assistance but after being declined on both occasions by the shy Nate ignored him. Instead he turned to taking notes occasionally but mostly flirting with the girls, Nate noticed how Light attracted as much attention from the girls (and a one or two of the boys) as 'Miss Naomi' seemed to get from the girls. Nate was equally curious about how Light seemed oblivious to the fact that he was so shamelessly flirting, _did he realise_?

The other boy, Mello, attracted just as much attention as Light. But instead of talking to his admirers, like Light did, Mello instead sat moodily at his desk, eating chocolate bar after chocolate bar loudly, producing a seemingly endless flow of the candy of the pockets of his tight leather pants. Mello admirer's instead watched from afar, spying less than stealthily, receiving death glares from Mello if they were noticed and swooning every time he made the occasional remark to Light or derogatory comment about the lesson.

All in all, Nate thought as he trudged back to his dorm eating the apple he had acquired quickly from the cafeteria, scurrying in and out like a mouse so as not to draw attention or invite conversation, it had been a very dull day.

…

Neo lay on the top bunk of her bed; a large book clutched in her hand whose cover read 'The Complete Works of Edger Allen Poe'. She read each page of the book with such intensity that if her eyes had been able to project heat the paperback would be a pile of ashes by now.

The bunk bed rocked slightly and Neo was pulled out of the world of 'The Pit and the Pendulum'. She leant over the side of the bed and glared at her blonde roommate, who was shifting around on the bottom bunk so much that the entire piece of furniture was moving with her.

'Misa…' Neo began.

'Please, we're room mates, call me Misa Misa!'

'Could you please move over to that couch before I murder you a thousand times?'

Misa laughed loudly, clearly not understanding that the lack of sarcasm in Neo's tone meant she was in fact serious in her threat. Misa obliged Neo anyway, bouncing over in her gothic lolitia clothes. She sat on the couch with so much energy that Neo wondered how someone could be so enthusiastic about sitting down.

Neo ignored her clearly deranged roommate and returned to the writings of Edger Allen Poe, soaking in his miserable words so deeply that it almost made her smile. Almost.

The silence continued for several minutes before it was interrupted by Misa who had begun humming to herself quietly, and bouncing up and down on the old couch. Neo tried to ignore this intrusion into the perfect silence but ultimately the upbeat tune and distraction the bobbing of Misa's pigtails proved too much.

'Misa.' Neo said.

Misa looked at her and grinned.

'I've decided to enforce a new rule in our dorm.'

Misa gasped excitedly. 'Really?!'

'Yes.' Neo said in her deadpan. 'The rule is that only Witches and Demons are allowed to speak in this room from now on, which are you?'

Misa laughed a shrill laugh.

'Oh Neo, you're so funny, where do you get it from?'

'My mum's Greek, it's where I get my sincere and upbeat personality.' Neo said in a deadpan.

Misa nodded thoughtfully, seemingly accepting this response as valid and truthful. Her face then lit up as a thought crossed her mind despite Neo having long since hypothesised that Misa was incapable of having one.

'Neo, I forgot to tell you that I invited Light, L, and Kiyomi over!'

A mixture of murderous rage, horror, and an uncontrollable urge to weep all struck Neo at the same time and tried to manifest themselves on her face, they ended up mixing together to create a slightly angrier scowl than usual.

'When are they getting here?' Neo asked.

As if to answer her question, a small 'hello?' came from the door and the heads of Kiyomi, Light, and L were peering in. The three stepped into the room, smiling and greeting Misa in a happy manner that Neo found all to exhausting. Instead, she stood and made to leave the room as quickly as possible, with L giving her a small knowing smile as she exited. She glanced at the sign she had stuck to door that read in gothic calligraphy _'Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate'_ and under which Misa had scrawled _'Misa Misa and Neo's room!'_

'Wait Neo where are you going?' Misa called.

'Somewhere less happy I hope.' Neo retorted as she strode down the hall.

…

Neo's immediate response to her self-eviction was to find a new place to read the increasingly relatable works of Edger Allen Poe. However she quickly found that finding such a retreat would be near impossible.

Her first choice was the large school library, with its maze of dusty shelves that could absorb sound. This was where Neo could often be found, raiding the shelves of Gothic literature and poems about death and sadness and bringing dozens of books to the librarian, only for the librarian to inform her she could borrow no more than ten books which led to the inevitable _'Your arbitrary rules are pointless and constricting my literary appreciation and growth'_ argument.

After these shouting matches Neo found the Library less than pleasing and today was no exception, Neo's foul mood invoking an argument within ten minutes of her arrival rather than twenty.

Neo marched through the halls huffing to herself, her favourite tree had been cut down over the summer break and the freshmen's were sitting in all of her other spots. She marched over to Matt and Mello's room (2.10) but when she heard them having another domestic, with Mello crying _'Its not my fault I stepped on it, you left the damn controller out!'_ she decided she would have to find a completely new spot to read.

Neo walked down the hall, looking for the nearest exit, when she passed a room with its door open but no sound coming from within. She stopped and looked at the room.

'2.18.' She said to herself.

She listened; someone was rummaging around in there, almost completely silent save for padded footsteps. Deciding that she probably wouldn't find another spot this quiet for quite some time Neo resolved to enter the room, pushing the door open with a slight 'creak' and entered the room.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: So what did you think? Please review if you are so inclined. My new plan is to update weekly or whenever I get the inspiration for a new chapter. I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am._

 _Note: The Latin phrase Neo has written on her door is a quote from Dante's Inferno that translates roughly to: 'Abandon Hope, all who enter'._


	3. Chapter 2: Moonlight and Glitter

_A/N: Here's the next chapter, I hope you guys enjoy._

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

Neo pushed the door open and entered room 2.18.

The room was devoid of furniture save for an unmade bed in the far corner. Instead her attention was seized by the ocean of toys that sat on the floor, extending outwards to cover the entire room. Crates, with what Neo guessed were more toys, sat resting against the walls like waves beating against a cliff. The entire room was mis en scene, plastic armies brought to blows of the carpeted field of battle.

Who in the sophomore dorms would have anything like this? Neo wracked her brains but no one she thought of would do this, so who?

As if to answer her question, a little boy dressed in baggy white pyjamas stepped out from the bathroom, his small socked feet padding on the carpet just like Neo had heard from outside. _Nash or something_ , Neo thought to herself. He seemed so small but intense, every step he took was precise and calculated, like he weighed every factor before moving his feet. Like each second contained a blizzard of thoughts, hidden away under his snow-white hair and behind his deep eyes.

Nate looked up, as if he instinctively sensed the intrusion of a foreign agent into his sanctuary. He brushed his white fringe out of his eyes, staring at Neo. Their grey eyes met, each looking deep into the other, trying to understand and comprehend their respective wishes. Nate tilted his head to the side and began to twist a lock of hair around his finger, his stare intensifying.

Nate gave Neo a small nod and returned to his toys, crouching on the ground a moving them around, playing out the choreographed scene in his head with his toys playing the part of armed dancer. Neo took the nod as an admission and made her way across the room and onto the bed, treading as if she were in a mind field. The entire room was silent save for Nates occasional padded footstep. For the first time Neo didn't find the sound intruding, but rather calming, like rain on a tin roof. Neo reopened her tome of Edger Allen Poe works, delving back into the writing, reading the first lines of 'The Raven':

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door —

Only this, and nothing more."

Neo, looked up at Nate, the way the pale little boy padded, or as Poe would say tapped and rapped, his way across the room, muffling the sounds with his socks. Neos scowl lessened slightly and she returned once more to the words of the book.

…

Mello sat in the window frame, its body still devoid of glass, eating chocolate. He bit aggressively in the bar, each bite causing the chocolate to break with a loud snapping sound that bounced around the room. The moon shone in through the empty frame, bathing Mello in the pale half-light, his scar becoming a shadow cast across the corner of his face. His leather clothes shone brightly, white glimmers of moonlight running up and down the clothes like water. Each crease in his clothing creating a new stream for the white glow to tickle down, making Mello drip moonlight.

His golden hair ruffled slightly in the autumn breeze, the first cool chills of the year washing across his face. It may have only been the second of September, two weeks into the new school year, but at Wammy's the older teachers often said that autumn only truly lasted a week. Mello knew from his experiences last year that as soon as the last leaf fell from its perch autumn would be gone and winters biting winds would soon consume the air.

Matt sat on the couch, controller in hand, tapping away, causing the little Link to jump from left to right, swinging his sword. He listened as Mello snapped off a piece of chocolate loudly, snap. He'd been in this mood since their argument earlier about Matt leaving his controllers everywhere, just sitting there snapping chocolate bar after chocolate bar. Normally their domestics blew over like the autumn at Wammy's, dissipating as quickly as they arrived. But this time was different. Mello had been there snapping chocolate between his teeth for nearly an hour now. Just snapping.

Again, snap.

Again. Snap.

Again.

Snap.

Matt paused the game and turned to face Mello, looking at his leather clad friend perched in the empty frame like a bird.

'Mel, what's wrong?'

'Hmm?' Mello grunted, being drawn out of his thoughts.

'You only ever eat chocolate that loudly when something is bothering you.' Matt sated in a matter of fact tone. 'So what's bothering you?'

'I don't know.' Mello said.

Matt turned to face his friend properly, putting down his controller. Mello saw this and in turn moved to face Matt properly. They both understood the unspoken code.

'Come on Mel, is it cause I skipped out on recess with the new kid?'

'Nah, I don't give a fuck about that. Neo and I went and threw stale bread at the ducks, anyway.'

'Don't you mean _fed_ stale bread _to_ the ducks Mel.'

'No, we threw it at them, 5 points for a hit, 10 if you knocked them out.'

Matt raised an eyebrow at this, he knew Mello had a temper, but he never took it out on other things unless they provoked him first.

'It was Neo's idea.' Mello said.

Matt lowered the eyebrow and nodded understandingly.

'I dunno what the problem is.' Mello said glumly. 'Normally I know, like when Neo is has more angst than usual and won't admit it…'

'…or when the microwave won't work…' Matt added.

'…or when Light does that thing where he eats chips dramatically…' Mello said.

'Yes!' Matt said with a laugh. 'Or what about when they serve meatloaf in the cafeteria?'

'When they don't have a chocolate desert option.' Mello said thoughtfully.

'And what about that time when we were vandalizing a teachers room and it was Roger's and he walked in naked!'

'Don't fucking remind me!' Mello said laughing so hard he nearly fell out the window.

Mello then stood, went to the fridge to get a new piece of chocolate. When he returned he sat next to Matt and stared at the wall blankly. Matt looked at his roommate, trying to ascertain the smallest understanding as to what was eating away at him. His normally angry expression was relaxed and passive, he'd only ever seen him look like this once before. Mello had been challenged to go off chocolate for a week he had nearly killed himself, suffering all the stages of withdrawal hourly, only for the cycle start all over the next hour. The first piece of chocolate he ate after the fast caused him to have the exact same expression, as if he were revaluating life.

Mello later admitted that he had been thinking about how he would never take chocolate for granted and how he was truly, deeply in love with the candy. This time however Mello had nothing to be revaluating, he wasn't taking anything for granted. So the only other option was the second feeling Mello felt when he had that piece of chocolate… love.

'Who's it?' Matt asked.

Mello was startled by the sudden question cutting through their veil of contemplative silence.

'Sorry, what?' Mello asked.

'Well who's it? Who's the person that's got you feelin' all twisted up and emotional.'

'What the fuck Matt?'

'Is it Sophie?' Matt said slyly. 'Ready to rekindle an old passionate flame.'

'I swear to fucking God Matt. I don't know what you're on about but I am not going anywhere near that crazy bitch'

'Ok ok,' Matt said defensively. 'Just checkin', people do stupid things.'

'You'd know all about stupid.' Mello said with a cheeky smile.

'Get lost.' Matt retorted with an equally cheeky grin. 'Ok, is it Miss Naomi? There's no shame in fawning over her, everyone does it.'

'Matt I swear…' Mello growled, menace starting to enter his voice.

'What about Misa Misa, she's cute you know.'

'Matt, get fucked, she's so dumb!'

'What about guys? You do swing both ways after all.'

Mello shook his head in a slightly irritated manner; he was growing tired of Matt's persistence very quickly. To prevent himself from hitting the goggled redhead he took another loud bite out of his chocolate bar. Matt grinned in a Machiavellian manner at this sound and leant slightly toward Mello, raising an eyebrow in the sleaziest manner he knew how.

'Oh, getting closer am I?' Matt whispered. 'Hmm, is it Light?'

'Matt…'

'What about the creepy type, is it L?'

'Fuck off, he's a perv.'

'Is it I?' Matt said in a mocking impersonation of the drama students performing Shakespeare, gasping dramatically for effect and feigning bashfulness.

'Go screw yourself.' Mello said, pushing Matt.

'Thanks, might latter.' Matt said thoughtfully, much to Mellos disgust. 'Ok, ok, is it a teacher?'

'Fuck no Matt.' Mello said, standing angrily. 'You're barking up the wrong fucking tree here.'

Matt sat back and thought, _Mello's mood has only started today, which means it has to be something new. So the usual anger inducing subjects, his mother, Neo, Sophie, Light, and of course himself, were out of the equation. It had to be someone new._ Matt played the day back in his head, scrying it for the interloper that has Mello all riled up.

Then it hit him (metaphorically of course).

'I know!' Matt exclaimed, standing and pointing at Mello vigorously. 'It's the new kid!'

'Fuck. No.'

'It is!' Said Matt, pointing all the more wildly. I'll admit he is cute, he's got that whole seductive shyness thing going on.'

Mello brushed away Matts hand, as much to prevent him from poking out his eye as it being actually irritating.

'What the fuck going on in that shit-pile you call a brain, honestly. Why would I go for sheep boy, he's weird!'

'Sheep boy? You have a pet name for him!'

'Fuck off Matt!' Mello shouted loudly. 'Will you just stop being such a prick, I mean Jesus, its not the new kid ok, its not anyone, that's not what's bugging me, I don't know what's bugging me.'

Mello slumped down onto the couch, and Matt sat next to him. He then nudged his friend, giving him a sympathetic smile. Mello took another, much quieter bite out of his chocolate. Matt nudged him again. Mello nudged back and looked up Matt with a tired smile.

'I was teasin', you big drama queen.'

'I know.' Mello said. 'I wish I knew what the issue was, I hate not knowing, it sucks.'

Mello stood and made to return to the empty window frame. Matt looked at his friend, smiling slightly to himself. _Honestly, for a top-mark student, Mello could be so dumb sometimes, after all, he didn't even realise what it was that was bugging him, and he probably wouldn't for ages._ Matt picked up his controller, returning to his paused game, content to let Mello figure this one out on his own.

For now.

'Seriously though.' Mello said from where he was standing, looking out the empty window frame. 'How the hell did Neo get up here, we're two floors up!'

Matt smiled to himself.

'I dunno man.'

…

Laughter rang out from Misa and (the currently absent) Neos dorm. Inside a quartet sat around lazily talking and joking, cups of tea prepared by Misa in hand.

'And then he said: with friends like these who needs anemones!' Light said, finishing his joke.

L and Kiyomi both laughed heartily, putting down their cups so as not to spill the tea onto the couch. However their laughs were whispers when compared to Misa's cackle, a shrill sound that resounded around the room. In her uncontrollable fit she spilled her cup of tea, letting the liquid splash out of her cheap cup and spill all over the kitchenette bench on which she sat and onto the carpeted floor. Light rolled his eyes and smiled in much the same way that you do for a pet dog that, while cute, is a complete buffoon.

L sighed at Misa's antics and said. 'Misa do be careful.'

'Yes.' Kiyomi added. 'After all Neo would strangle you and we couldn't have that.'

Misa gained control of herself, letting the last spasm of laughter exited her body. She then looked up at her friends, brushing her dishevelled blonde hair out of the way and grinned guiltily.

'Don't worry about Neo.' She said. 'She seems mean but she's really nice deep down.'

Light, L, and Kiyomi exchanged dubious looks. Their expression saying everything, _did she know her roommate at all?_

'I don't think that's the case.' L said.

'I heard she made a wrestler cry once.' Light said.

'I heard that once tamed a tiger with a single glare.' Kiyomi added.

'And I heard that when she cuts and onion, it's the onion that cries.' L finished.

Kiyomi and Light both rolled their eyes at this comment, whilst Misa looked at him goggle eyed and her mouth slightly open, genuinely shocked.

'L.' Light began. 'Just because it's graffitied onto a bathroom stall, doesn't mean its true.'

L added another cube of sugar into his cup of tea.

'Well yes that's correct.' He said. 'But not all graffiti is devoid of factual information. For example, in the E-Block men's bathrooms someone has graffiti onto a stall door that 'Misa and Neo are hot' with which I agree, then underneath someone added, 'But Neo is scary', with which I also agree.'

'Ew you perv!' Misa exclaimed.

'Time and place L.' Kiyomi said, shaking her head at the L. _Honestly_ , she thought, _he really did no nothing about how to actually interact with people_.

'I know.' L said. 'It was just an example.'

Everybody sat in an uncomfortable silence for nearly a minute, the only interruption being the occasional clicking of teacup against saucer. Kiyomi, Light, and Misa exchanged the occasional uncomfortable look whilst L sat in his usual crouch adding sugar cube after sugar cube with quiet splashes. Every time one of them thought of something to say to break the silence they second-guessed it, there was no use wasting a perfectly good conversation topic on an awkward atmosphere. L continued to sit oblivious to the way he had frozen over the mood in the room.

'So.' Kiyomi said, forcing an end to the silence. 'When is the war starting back up?'

Both Light and Misa jumped at the new topic of conversation, turning quickly to face Kiyomi. The oval faced girl looked back at them, raising a questioning eyebrow.

'Well…' Misa began. 'I thought those three would have struck by now.'

'True.' L interjected, then paused.

Light, Kiyomi, and Misa held a collective breath, hoping and praying to anything and everything that L would not kill the conversation again.

'Those three never miss an opportunity to wreck havoc.' L finished.

Light nodded at this, and the others breathed quiet a sigh of relief.

'Exactly, so I think we should strike first, catch them off guard.' Light said.

'They might be waiting for that.' L pointed out, but then after thinking said.'But if we wait for them to go, it could be worse than usual.'

'So what do you suggest, Lawliet?'

Kiyomi and Misa smirked at each other. Whilst neither could say they had much in common, Kiyomi's intelligent and studious nature leaving little in common with Misa's love for pop-punk and laid back attitude, there was one thing they had in common. They both loved it when L and Light began strategising and bouncing ideas off each other. The way in which, if left for long enough they would start to finish each others sentences, and get extraordinarily excited about something as simple as a study schedule.

'Hmmm.' L muttered thoughtfully. 'It will have to be something we can manufacture quickly.'

'But it must have effect.' Light added. 'Otherwise Mello would never let us here the end of it.'

The two stopped, expressions of deep thought on their faces.

'Never let us here the end of it…' Light said quietly, then suddenly exclaimed. 'I've got it!'

'What?' The other three asked in unison.

'We'll make the first prank of the year something that goes on for ages, so they'll still be feeling it for weeks to come!'

The other three nodded in agreement, then their faces fell again,

'Well what could we make in the space of a few days?' Kiyomi asked.

'We should make it cute!' Misa said.

'Misa don't be ridiculous.' Kiyomi said. 'Besides I said 'what' not 'how.'

'Oh.' Misa said, her expression falling. 'Never mind then.'

Light stood suddenly, walked over to Misa and kissed her forehead. Misa blushed slightly and giggled at Lights sudden affection. Kiyomi gave Misa a murderous expression, only for a second, but long enough for L to notice.

'Misa you're a genius!' Light said as her pulled away from kissing her forehead.

'I am?' Misa asked.

'She is?' Kiyomi said, completely shocked.

'Something cute!' Light said, repeating Misa's words from a few seconds earlier. 'Don't you guys see it?'

'Are you feeling unwell?' Kiyomi asked.

Light ignored this and walked over to L, looking directly at his pale face. L met this look with his ever tired looking eyes, dark spots perpetually beneath them. To someone who didn't know L well you'd think he'd just had a bad nights sleep. For someone who did know L well you'd know that it was because he never slept at all.

'L, come on.' Light implored. 'A prank that's cute and will last for weeks…'

L's expression lit up suddenly, as if someone had flicked a switch in the back of his head.

'Of course…' L said.

'Yeah…' Light agreed.

'Something cute.'

'That will last for weeks.'

'What?' Misa asked excitedly.

'Glitter bombs!' L and Light said together.

The two gave Misa and Kiyomi satisfied looks, proud of their idea. They were met with a pair of baffled expressions.

'Glitter bombs?' Misa asked confused.

'Glitter bombs?' Kiyomi asked, unimpressed.

'Yeah.' Light said.

'As the first prank for the new year?' Kiyomi added.

'Indeed.' L said.

'Have you ever tried to get glitter off yourself?' Light asked. 'Its impossible, it'll be showing up for weeks.'

'To be fair, Matt won't mind.' L said thoughtfully.

'But Mello and Neo won't be able to stand it.' Light said with a demonically gleeful expression.

It was upon seeing this expression that Kiyomi knew the prank would be a success. Light only ever got that look on his face when he knew he had a plan that no one could stop. Of course Light became especially scary when he got that look, as he became prone to shouting things like _'You fools'_ and laughing dramatically. On one occasion, when Light had made a project he was particularly proud of and got the top mark he got up and shouted _'You never stood a chance'_ in the face of the girl who came runner up.

She had run out of the class with tears running down her face.

Probably more because it gave Light a deranged, somewhat possessed look, than it having actually upset the girl, Kiyomi added thoughtfully.

Still, Kiyomi did find those sudden character swings worrying; she would often wonder just what kind of criminal mind was lurking beneath that self-assured exterior.

'Ok.' Kiyomi said in a calm voice, hoping that this would help calm Light. 'Just how do we get glitter bombs?'

'Simple.' L said. 'We can order them online.'

L reached down to his bag and pulled out his laptop, opened the device and typed at the keyboard. He then turned the device to show them the website he had pulled up. Kiyomi leaned in and Misa jumped her spot on the kitchenette bench and knelt in front of the laptop on the floor, looking at in intently.

The web page was brightly lit, a glittery pattern running down the edges and the words 'Glitter Bombs' written in colourful letting across the top. Underneath was a description that read: 'Why attack your enemies with words or action when you can sit at home and order glitter bombs? Humiliate your enemies for weeks with these glittery surprises, kill them with a splash of colour!'

'See.' L said, moving the mouse around the screen to indicate different options. 'We can have the glitter packaged so that they are inconspicuous.'

'Yeah.' Misa said. 'Neo is expecting some new books I think.'

'And I'm pretty sure Mello was talking about a mass chocolate order.' Kiyomi added.

'And we can just write 'Money' on whatever we send to Matt.' Light said.

L turned the computer around and clicked on a few pages to make the necessary arrangements.

'Perfect.' He said. 'It'll take 3-5 business days to arrive. I'm having the bombs sent to each of them personally, and the best part is that it'll only cost $20.'

'Really?' Misa said. 'That's all?'

'Plus postage and handling.' L said upon closer inspection of the screen.

A collective groan was shared by the others.

Still they had a plan, a prank, and it was ready to go. While none of them would admit it they were already looking forward to this a bit too much. They'd lost to Mello, Matt, and Neo last year when they struck with a rather spectacular prank, now there was going to be revenge.

The prank war was back on.

...

Neo and Nate had been operating a silence for nearly four hours now. Neo flicking through her book, page after page passing by in a timeless daze, being truly left alone to her thoughts for the first time since starting the new school year. She sat, absorbing and appreciating the words with such depth and intensity, the light padding of Nate on the floor giving the words a beat in her head. The stories became like music, with rises and falls, the words holding notes and emotion.

It was en experience Neo had never been party to before, the majesty of the words now making her previous perception seem like a pale copy in comparison.

Nate had gone about his regular activities much as he always had. If Neo had looked beyond her book she would have seen Nate play God to his toys, dictating the fates of his creations. Nate held the power to send these men to war, pull the imagined life from their plastic bodies and snuff it out without a second though. He could create and destroy worlds, making vistas out of his puzzles only to upturn it, watching the world shatter and crumble.

Their silent bliss was interrupted by the loud ringing of a phone, its high-pitched tone pulling Nate and Neo out of their worlds with a jump.

Nate went to answer the phone, picking it up and placing it to his ear.

'Mother.' He said.

Neo closed the book and leant toward Nate in curiosity, wanting to know more about this phantom figure who until now, might as well have been a ghost with whom she was sharing a room. _He 's the right colour too_ , Neo thought.

'Nate, honey!' His mother exclaimed from the other end of the line. 'How was your first day?'

'Adequate.'

'You're classes were good?'

'Yes.'

'Did you make friends?'

At this question Nate looked at Neo, still positioned on his bed, listening intently to everything he said, watching his every movement and reaction.

'Maybe.' He said.

'Oh that's great honey! Well that's all, I'll call you tomorrow.'

'Mother, there's no need to contact me daily.' Nate said.

Neo's curiosity was only further teased at this, if she had known any better, that last comment could have passed for concern. If she'd know the boy better she would have been sure, but she didn't quite know how to decipher that poker face yet.

'Oh no, I must!' Mrs River insisted. 'I simply care to much! Well we'll talk tomorrow, goodnight Nate.'

'Very well, good night.' Nate said, hanging up the phone.

At this Neo stood and made to leave the room, making her way once more over the dangerously littered floor. When she reached the door she turned to Nate and spoke for the first time since entering the room.

'You should really come and sit with us tomorrow, I know Matt offered.' Neo said in a deadpan.

'I wouldn't want to impose.'

'Don't be stupid.' Neo said aggressively. 'And if you don't sit with us, I'll just have to come back tomorrow night.'

Neo then turned and left, the door starting to swing shut slowly. Nate turned to go to bed when he heard the sound of someone stopping the door mid swing. He turned and Neo, boomer jacket and all, was leaning back into the room.

'By the way, what's your name?'

'Nate River.'

'Not anymore.' Neo said. 'I'm calling you Near from now on.'

'Why?'

'Because you've given me the nearest thing to silence I've had in a while.' Neo said, never letting her scowl or sarcasm falter.

'Near…' Nate said slowly.

'Near.' Neo said with a nod of finality, leaving again, letting the door swing closed.

The now newly christened Near stood in the centre of the room, letting this mull over in his head.

'Near.' He said quietly. 'Near.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: So what did you guys think? The plot thinkens! A prank was is brewing and Mello is having a problem (gasp). But seriously, I hope you guys liked the chapter, please leave a review and stay tuned for the next part!_


	4. Chapter 3: Kidnapped!

_A/N: Here be the new chapter, it turned out slightly longer than I was expecting_

 _Disclaimer: I won nothing from Death Note_

* * *

Nears days fell into a steady routine, every day he would attend class and inevitably share it with boisterous Matt, cynical Neo, or distant Mello. Near soon found an easy method to interact with them.

Matt it seemed, liked the sound of his own voice. Near knew it was just him being kind, but it was overwhelming. The steady flow of words building from to a raging current in a matter of minutes every lesson. Still Near found a method to build to proverbial dam to control it. He would occasionally interject, providing a quick opinion, and this seemed to make Matt happy, despite it being drops in comparison to Matt's one-sided ocean of a conversation.

Near soon discovered that Neo was as much effort as Matt in her own way. She wouldn't try to converse much, seemingly enjoying the silence, Near appreciated this about her. However, when something happened that annoyed Neo, no matter how colossal or trivial in magnitude, she would declare in a terrifying deadpan and with a murderous glare that _'This sucks'_ or _'I'm Bored'_ or _'I hate everything'_. On occasions such as this there was an unspoken rule that whoever was closest, frequently being Near, had to fix it. If he didn't she soon fell into the most passive-aggressive sulk Near had ever born witness to.

Despite this he enjoyed her educated, if opinionated, company.

But it was Mello that truly intrigued Near. Every lesson he would sit next to the albino and eat chocolate, never speaking a word. He would speak to others though, joking with Matt and Neo or engaging Light, L or Kiyomi in a debate. Near was unsure why Mello gravitated toward him every lesson seeing as the blonde wore the same look of distain for Near that he did for Misa. But he never verbally attacked Near like he did Misa, instead just casting the occasional glance.

Near found it compelling.

Near also noticed the way the Mello, Matt, and Neo were so close. They were inseparable out of class, meeting in the same spot at lunch or recess. Everything they did they did together, despite their differences. Indeed, Near found the only thing the three had in common was the way they asked him to join them after every lesson.

' _Hey little guy, come hang with us this lunch, ok? Why? Because I you're fun to be around you white haired cutie. Ok I won't call you cute again._

' _Near, you better come sit with us or I'll break your fingers in your sleep.'_

' _Sheep boy, Matt told me to tell you that you should sit with us at lunch.'_

Despite their incessant demands, Near would instead return to his room in his free time. They were very kind but he couldn't bring himself to join their family, their bond was so strong that Near didn't feel he could actually fit in with them. So Near would sit in his room, playing with his toys. He constructed entire worlds of Lego, pieced together beautiful vistas with his puzzles, and forced toy robots and soldiers to engage in desperate do-or-die battles.

Every night Neo would come and visit, both assuming their unspoken roles. Neo would read and Near would play, letting the hours pass in blissful silence until finally Nears mother would ring and Neo would return back to her dorm, but not before demanding that Near sit with her, Matt, and Mello at lunch, with increasingly violent threats as motivation.

On the Tuesday she had declared that _'If you don't sit with us I'll sit on you'._

The Wednesday in a slightly more threatening tone she had announced that _'If you don't sit with us I'll kidnap you and bash you up.'_

The end of their Thursday evening had been punctuated by Neo announcing that _'If you don't come and sit with us I'll bury you alive and do unspeakable things to your toy rabbit.'_

Friday had been the most terrifying threat so far _'If you don't sit with us I'll decapitate you and wave your head around on a stick in front of your crying mother.'_

Near wasn't entirely sure whether she would follow through on any of these threats, but if her expression was anything to go by then he was in trouble. Despite all this Near instead hid away in his room, doing his school work and playing with his toys. He really did want to join them, but he lacked felt that he lacked the respect and camaraderie that they held for each other. He'd never been privy to their escapades and so would have been an outsider among insiders.

So he remained alone.

Although for the first time he felt that he might resent the solitude.

…

It had been a slow week for Mello, that annoying feeling he'd gotten on Monday hadn't disappeared at all. Instead it stuck with him, like a leech feeding of him, sucking out his concentration like blood. Mello had sought hard to find and crush this parasite, but despite everything he couldn't find it. Instead it remained invisible but ever present, an enigmatic feeling draining him.

But now he had a distraction.

Because for the first time in over a week, everyone was going to BB's.

BB's was a little boutique coffee shop that was located in town, about a ten minute drive from Wammy's. BB's wasn't its name but rather what they had taken to calling it; the real name was ' _Beyond Breakfast Coffee Shop'_. Mello had always thought that this was a stupid name. Still the little place was always warm, filled with the tantalizing aroma of frothy coffee, herbal tea's, and much to Mello's pleasure, chocolate.

The shop itself exuded a sense comfort and home. Every aspect of it, from the soft couches (or as Matt called them 'marshmallows with a spot for my butt') to the wooden counters, to the little copper pots that tea came in, gave off a sense of infectious jubilance. Nobody could realistically stay unhappy there, even Mello uncrossed his arms and Neos scowl would lessen.

This Sunday was no different. The seven of them, L, Light, Misa, Kiyomi, Mello, Matt, and Neo, had been excited in their respective ways since waking up. They'd all clambered into Lights car, Misa and Neo taking seats on Mello and Matt respectively, and driven into town; ready to waste the morning in the best way they knew how.

It was now 10 O'clock and the store owner Linda was coming around with their third re-fills of drinks.

'For real though.' Matt said, after having taken a sip from his cappuccino. 'Do you reckon Roger and Watari ever get it on?'

This question was met with a range of responses by the others, although the general concessus could be described as unsurprised dismay. Light (who had a flat white) and Kiyomi (who had a herbal tea) both sighed disappointedly, taking drinks from their respective drinks and avoiding eye contact. The other four were more verbal in response.

'Matt what the fuck?' Mello said (his drink was a hot choclate).

'Ew, gross.' Misa exclaimed (a latte with two sugars).

'Yes.' Neo stated (she had a quadruple shot coffee with no milk or sugar, she had the order added to the menu just for her).

L finished the round of comments, putting down his hot chocolate with twelve extra sugars.

'Matt I find your sexual fixation disturbing.'

'Like you can talk.' Muttered Mello.

'What was that Mello?' L asked.

'Nothing.'

'But you just…' Misa began.

Kiyomi saw the direction the conversation was about to take, Misa ignorant of the glares Mello was shooting her across the table. She knew how quickly these situations could spiral out of control and as such decided to change the route entirely. She put her cup on the table so quickly that it was a marvel that not a drop of tea was spilt, and whilst maintaining that composure, took the reigns of the conversation, diverting it from the cliff it was about run off at full speed.

'So what do you think of the new kid?' She asked.

The entire atmosphere shifted, the tension being released just before Misa gave Mello the opportunity to snap and ruin their morning. In fact the energy wasn't so much released as diverted, spreading around the group visibly, everyone becoming more alert and interested.

'I like him.' Matt said, putting his opinion in first.

'He's weird.' Mello said.

'Nah, you just need to get to know him!' Matt replied.

'Like you'd actually know anything about him, all you do is talk at him, he barely says anything.'

'I'm just being friendly.'

It was Light this time who saw the conversation going south, intervening quickly and cutting across the simmering debate that was about to boil into a full scale argument.

'What do you think about him Misa?'

'He's so adorable!' She squealed as if she'd been bottling up her answer, just waiting for someone to ask. 'Like, he doesn't say much, but he's just so small, like a teddy!'

Matt nodded at this.

'I don't know that much about him.' Kiyomi interjected. 'But he seems a bit distracted.'

'Nah he's just shy.' Matt said.

'Or stupid.' Mello added.

'Hmm.' Light pondered. 'Actually he seems quite intelligent if you asked me.'

'That was the conclusion I had reached also.' L agreed.

'What do you mean Light?' Kiyomi asked.

'Well,' Light began. 'He seems shy at first, but I'm in a large amount of his classes and he actually is quite intense, like his brain is working overtime.'

'Huh?' Misa said.

'I agree Light.' Said L, putting down his hot chocolate and shifting to face the brunette. 'Its like he's forming patterns, speculating and reaching conclusions about things all the time. I think he's far more aware of people then he lets on.'

'That just proves how dumb you guys are.' Mello huffed from his end of the table.

'Actually, they're right.' Neo chimed in.

'What?' Matt asked in shock, it was completely unlike Neo to take sides in a debate, doubly unlikely to disagree with Mello, and triply unlikely to talk about anything concerning other people.

'Well, I've been hung out in his room with him every evening this week.' Neo said. 'If anyone should have an opinion about him, I think it would be me.'

Everybody stared at Neo in a shocked silence; even Linda who was refilling the drinks was stunned.

'I see.' L said factually, breaking the silence that had begun to drag on for slightly to long.

'Where's his room?' Matt exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his chair and onto Neo in his haste to get an answer.

'He's in 2.18.'

'He's been four doors down the entire time! I'm going to his dorm the moment we get back!' Matt declared.

'I'm coming too!' Misa said.

'Matt, Misa, no.' Light said sternly, Kiyomi nodding in agreement.

'Aw come on!' Misa whined, then adding with puppy dog eyes. 'Please?'

'Yeah please?' Matt agreed.

'I'll eat your nose if you bother him today.' Neo interjected with a glare,

Matt and Misa both calmed quickly, settling back down into place and quietly drinking their respective drinks.

'Why do you care Neo?' Kiyomi asked.

'Because he likes quiet and it's Sunday, he deserves to have the day to himself. We can kidnap him tomorrow.'

Upon Neo saying this Matts expression lifted, a broad smile growing across his face. He pulled his goggles off and placed them on his head, his emerald eyes wide with happiness.

'We can?' He whispered.

'Well yeah.' Neo said sarcastically. 'Like I was going to pass up an opportunity to kidnap someone, I mean, do you even know me?'

Mello rolled his eyes at their antics, lazily placing his cup of hot chocolate on the table.

'Why do you guys care so much? He's so weird.' He said bitterly.

'Well I just want him to be happy, I dunno.' Matt said.

'He doesn't need you playing brother for him.' Mello snapped.

'Well damn.' Matt snapped back. 'At least I do care.'

Kiyomi stood, slamming her cup down on the table, making the contents of the table shake violently as if a miniature earthquake had just ripped across the tabletop. Coffee and hot chocolates splashed over the brim and onto the table, a small vase full of flowers toppled over like a collapsing tower, and Lights car keys were projected off the table and into his lap.

'Jesus Christ Kiyomi.' Mello exclaimed.

Kiyomi glared back, everyone at the table fell silent, the only sound being the sound of the turbulent drinks calming themselves.

'Right.' Kiyomi snapped. 'I don't know what your issue is Mello, and quite frankly I don't care, but you've been in a bad mood all week and it needs to end. The new kid did nothing wrong to you and we're doing nothing wrong by showing an interest in him! You and Matt apologise. Now.'

Mello and Matt exchanged quiet apologies. At this Kiyomi's demeanour subsided, her usual polite grin reclaiming its place on her face. Despite the awkward fallout that followed her berating of Matt and Mello she managed to get the entire group back into normal conversation within a matter of minutes, the shouting match all but forgotten. She knew that it wouldn't be an issue, Matt and Mello bickered all the time, but she really didn't care for it.

While the group swung back into congenial conversation Light gave Kiyomi a small wink and mouthed _'thank you'_ to her. Kiyomi blushed slightly and made a small hand movement as if to convey _'Oh, it was nothing.'_ She and Light then turned and joined the ongoing conversation, currently about whether 'The Godfather' or 'Pulp Fiction' was the better crime film.

Only L witnessed the silent exchange between Light and Kiyomi and decided it was in his best interest not to draw attention to it.

Finally, at 11:30 and having spent a collective sum of $213 on breakfast and beverages they decided to return to Wammy's.

…

Upon returning to the campus the seven had then diverged, ready to fill the second half of their Sundays as they saw fit, be it video games, reading, eating, or study.

L walked, hunched and observing, toward the Science rooms or as they were more commonly called, S-Block. His plan was to take a free classroom and further his forensic skills, playing around with different chemicals and residues. He was so caught up in the planning of his experimentation that it was not until Misa made a small cough that he realised that she had been following him since they got back to the school.

Misa gave a little giggle as the shocked L realised she was there, his wide eyes taking her in. She loved startling L, _he was a cutie when he was surprised._

'Misa.' He said, trying to regain his composure. 'I didn't see you…'

'Oh please, call me Misa Misa.'

Misa giggled again and smiled at the raven-haired teen, his calm demeanour shattered by Misa's unexpected presence. L began to then calm down slightly, his eyes going from bulging back to their normal wide observing, his mouth closing again as the shock wore off.

'Ok, Misa Misa, what can I do for you?'

'Oh, I just wanted to talk!' She said nervously. 'We are friends after all.'

'True.' L agreed. 'But you've sought me out for a particular reason.'

'Oh no really, I just wanted to…'

'Misa.'

'Right.' She said, calming down. 'Nothing gets past you.'

'Indeed it does not.'

Misa paused and took a breath and readjusted her pigtails. She knew they were fine but she needed to fill in time as she collected her thoughts. She exhaled and turned to talk to L.

'Well…' She said drifting off.

L gone. Misa knew he could be socially oblivious but this was a new low. She clenched her fists and began to suck in her breath, ready to scream his name until he came back. L popped his head out of a door.

'Come in. You did want to talk to me, didn't you.' He said.

Misa smiled again, she hadn't seen him go into the room. L ducked his head back into the room, letting the door swing back shut. Misa caught the door before it could slot back into its frame, pulling the heavy wooden thing open again. _'But honestly_ ' She thought to herself. _'He has no sense of manners, he didn't even hold the door.'_

She walked into the room. L was scurrying around, grabbing different pieces of equipment and taking them over to one of the island benches you find in science classrooms. Misa walked over to where he was amounting his arsenal of scientific equipment and pulled up a stool, watching fascinated as the normally stationary L raced around the room, grabbing micro-scopes, phials, and Bunsen burners.

'Goggles Misa.' L remarked.

Misa sighed and grabbed one of the hideous sets of clear plastic goggles.

'Honestly L. You have no sense of fashion.'

'Fashion is irrelevant.' L replied distractedly.

'Of course you would think that, you just wear white shirts and jeans every day.'

'They are sufficient.'

'And ugly.'

'Misa…' L said, turning away from the Bunsen Burner he was setting up. 'Did you follow me just to critique my choice of clothing?'

Before Misa could reply the Bunsen Burner exploded into life, a blue flame leaping out of the nozzle and growing a foot high before calming back down.

Misa jumped where she sat and L immediately began to adjust the flame, making the brilliant blue transform into a vibrant yellow.

'Sorry.' L said.

'It ok.' Misa replied, still shocked.

'So, why did you want to talk to me?'

'Well, I wanted to talk to you about… Light.'

'What kind of Light, refraction and reflection? Lasers? Speed of Light?'

'Huh?' Misa said, a confused look crossing her face.

'Hmm?' L responded, confused at Misa's confusion.

The two stared for several seconds, both confused at the other. The piece of metal L was heated started to glow.

'Oh you meant Light as in the person.'

'What other Light could I have meant?'

'Don't worry.'

Misa shook her head.

'Anyway, I was wondering, about Light…' Misa began.

'So you said.'

'And I thought, seeing how you two are good friends…'

'Indeed.'

'That you could tell me…'

'Probably.'

'Does Light… like me.'

'Well you are friends so I imagine so.'

'I mean as more then friends.' Misa sighed, shaking her head at the ever-oblivious L.

'Oh.' L said, an expression of understanding dawning on his face.

L then returned to the experiment that he was conducting, placing the red hot metal into a murky liquid with a small sizzle, and intently observed the results. Misa sat patiently, waiting for a response, then after nearly twenty seconds of silence said:

'L.'

'Yes?'

'Light?'

'Oh, right.'

L really didn't want to deal with this, every semester, some poor helpless girl would come up to him, much as Misa had and asked for his help and conquering the mountain that was Light. Each of those girls had ended up heartbroken, having been crushed in an avalanche of polite dismissal that only Light could manage. L wasn't even sure Light realised how much he led girls on, and he was never sure why he always turned them down. Until now this had never been much of an issue, but with Misa being the subject in question rather than a classmate, there would indeed be an issue.

'Because.' Misa said. 'If he likes someone else, I don't want to get in the way…'

L thought back to the way that Kiyomi and Light had silently interacted at BB's, he'd noticed that there was something more going on there. The way Kiyomi blushed when Light silently thanked her, it was perhaps a shade redder than was normal. Had Misa noticed something there too?

'Misa.' L began. 'Light doesn't share those sorts of things with me.'

'Oh.' She said, her expression sinking.

L looked over Misa, her expression matching her gothic Lolitia clothing for once. She looked beaten and hurt, as if her dreams had been crushed before there had even been a hope of them coming into fruition.

'Look,' L said hesitantly. 'You know how Light turns down every girl.'

Misa nodded meekly.

'The chances that he'd ever say yes are one in a hundred.'

Misa whimpered as L said this.

'But if anyone has the power to make themselves that one, it's you Misa Amane.'

Misa looked up at L, eyes wide and glistening.

'You really think so?' She asked.

'I know so.'

Misa squealed and threw herself at L, wrapping him in the tightest hug he'd ever been in. The force of Misa's hug sent the stool L was perched on toppling backwards and the two of them crashed onto the floor in a tangled mess, Misa lying on top of the bewildered L.

'Thank you so much L!' Misa squeaked. She then picked herself up, brushed herself down, and saw herself out, all the while saying. 'Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!'

L watched her go, still positioned on the floor.

 _Well, now I've done it_ , he thought to himself.

…

Monday morning rolled around and at 8:00 Near got himself out of bed, still bleary eyed, and prepared himself for the day. He had a shower that lasted exactly five minutes. He dressed himself in his standard white pyjama's, underwear and socks, this took only one minute. He then brushed his teeth for another two and took another three to make his bed. Near then gave himself fourteen minutes to pack away his toys from the night before and rearrange them around the room so they were aesthetically pleasing. He then went down to the cafeteria (a three minute walk) got a bowl of two Weetbix with full cream milk (a two minute wait) and sat down at his favourite corner table and ate them. By the time this was done it was 8:50 and he made his way to the first class of the day, History.

Today, while Near had been eating he had noticed Matt, Mello, and Neo had gotten up early and were huddled around a table casting him furtive glances. These glances continued into class, with the three exchanging text messages with each other when Roger wasn't looking. In fact Near noticed that the classroom was nothing but a crossfire of glances, expressions, and text messaging. Light, L, Misa, and Kiyomi were all exchanging smirks with each other and casting glances at the Mello, Matt, and Neo who seemed oblivious to the attention. Meanwhile L seemed to be keeping a watchful eye on Misa, who was in turn keeping both eyes on Light.

All this unspoken communication was far too much for Near who instead decided to ignore it and instead attempt to listen to Roger today.

This proved harder than he expected as Roger could only be described as duller than dishwater.

When Lunch finally came around, Near was grateful to be able to retreat to his dorm, where there would be no glancing, or texting, or facial expressions. Instead he had his toys, imbued with the personalties he gave them and therefore never being to much for him to handle.

Near had been playing for several minutes, enjoying the uninterrupted bliss when he was interrupted by a knocking at his door.

Near begrudgingly went to answer it, but when he looked out the hallway was empty. Whoever the mystery knockers were the must have ran. Near went back to his toys letting the door swing slowly shut on its own.

He heard the sound of someone stopping the door in mid swing, he turned and saw that someone had planted a black leather shoe between the door and its frame. Near went to ask the person to leave when the door was pulled open and Matt and Neo ran through, followed momentarily later by Mello. They saw Near and tackled him, sending toy soldiers and dominoes in every direction as they sprawled onto the floor.

Near tried to crawl away, but someone grabbed by violently and rolled Near over. Near gave a small yelp as one of them pushed into his back winding him so he couldn't protest or move. A small clicking sound penetrated the commotion, Near turned to see Mello clasping his hands with handcuffs, a devilish smile on his scared face. Before Near could protest this Neo whipped off her scarf and pulled it over Nears mouth, gagging him. She then whispered into his ear: 'If you get spit on my scarf I'll cut off your tongue' and then she winked at him.

Near then felt himself being lifted by his shoulders and ankles. He began to kick wildly in panic, his foot connecting with something soft. He heard Matt grunt and Near's ankles were released, sending him crashing back down to earth with a thud.

'We'll have to clap his feet to Mels,' Matt said regaining his breath.

Mello nodded at this and produced a second pair of handcuffs. Neo and Matt both grabbed one of his legs pushing them together and Mello put a second pair of handcuffs around his ankles.

Near was then picked up for a second time, unable to offer any real resistance and was carried across the room to a sack that Mello was now holding open. He was deposited in the sack and before he could stop them they pulled the drawstrings, closing the opening until there was only a small sliver of light visible. Near was then picked up again and was carried somewhere.

The trip inside the sack was uncomfortable and bumpy, Near being dropped half a dozen times onto various surfaces. Three times Near landed on his right arm and he could already feel a bruise starting to grow there. It was several minutes before Near was finally released, being sent tumbling out of the bag onto soil.

He looked around and saw that he had been carried outside and behind one of the Blocks on the outskirt of the school, the large building casting a sea of shade around them. Mello, Matt, and Neo looked down at him, broad smiles on their faces. Neo reached down and took her scarf off of Nears mouth.

'Why did you do that?' He asked, flustered to say the least.

'Why not.' Neo responded.

'Because you wouldn't come and sit with us.' Matt said, elaborating on Neo's explanation.

'Why does it matter?' Near asked.

'It doesn't.' Mello said, taking a bite out of the chocolate he had seemingly produced from thin air.

'Yeah it does.' Matt said, then turning to Near. 'We kidnapped you because we think you're cool little buddy, well Neo and me do anyway.'

'And by cool, I mean not completely awful.' Neo explained.

'I thank you for your concern.' Near said trying to stand then, remembering he was hand cuffed, resolving instead to sit where he was looking at his kidnappers. 'However, I don't believe I will be able to fit in properly with you, seeing as I don't share any experiences with you…'

'Listen.' Mello said, turning and standing on Near's chest pining him to the spot. 'You are going spend the rest of the lunch with us, and if you honestly feel that uncomfortable then we'll never bother you again. Now shut up and stop being a little bitch, capiche?'

Near nodded.

'Excellent!' Matt said, unlocking his handcuffs. 'Now we're going to the front office, we have mail.'

The three turned and Near picked himself off the ground and followed them, rubbing his wrists. They made their way to the front office. As they did Matt smiled inwardly, for someone who so completely disliked Near, Mello sure had been forceful in getting him to join them.

They reached the office, and went up to the front desk. The entire room smelt of disinfectant, as if every surface in the room had been scrubbed clean a thousand times. Near noticed Misa, Light, L, and Kiyomi standing in the corner, but seeing as the others didn't seem to care that they were there he elected to not say anything.

A grump old lady, looked down her long nose at Mello, Matt, Neo, and Near, observing them through her horn-rimmed glasses.

'Yes?' She asked.

'We're here to pick up our mail.' Matt said leaning against the counter attempting to be casual but failing, even by Near's low standards.

'What the fuck are you doing Matt?' Mello laughed.

'Language.' The old lady snarled. 'And put that chocolate away, if you make a mess you'll clean up this entire office for week.'

They watched as the old lady went to retrieve their mail.

'I like her.' Neo said.

'Of course you do.' Matt said, shaking his head.

'Honestly Neo, what's wrong with you?' Mello asked.

'What, I like how she hates people, I find it relatable.' Neo said defensively.

The old lady returned with a trio of packages and handed them out, she then stalked off to her desk like a beast returning to its den.

Matt, Neo, and Mello looked at their packages with wide eyes and smiles on their faces. They immediately began pulling at the packaging, trying to tear open the boxes.

'My chocolate came!' Mello said.

'Its my new book.' Neo said.

'Money.' Matt said, nearly drooling.

Near cast a glance over to the other four in the corner, they were desperately trying to hold in a laugh. Near noted how even the normally reserved L was struggling to contain his laughter.

'Um… you should wait before you…' Near began, reaching for Matts package.

The three pulled their packages open at once and it was if someone had opened Pandora's Box. Glitter exploded out, spraying all over them and billowing outwards. Whilst they were caught in the storm the sounds of raucous laughter rang out and Near spied through the glittery cloud that Misa, L, Light, and Kiyomi were all doubled over with laughter, tears on their faces.

As the glitter settled Near could see that Matt was also laughing, rolling on the floor. Mello was on the verge of exploding in much the same way packages just had, crushing the packaging in his fist. Neo was glaring at the other four, murder in her eyes. All four of them were covered head to toe in the bright rainbow glitter. Near looked down into the box that Matt had dropped and pulled out a piece of paper. He read aloud what it said.

'The War is back on.'

Suddenly he was grabbed by someone by the hand, and dragged toward the door at a run. Near turned and saw the old woman charging at them, her face creased with a rage greater even the Mello's. Near turned and began to run with his friends out the door.

'Hey,' Matt said as they ran. 'Still think you don't fit in?'

Near gave him a small smile.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Near is part of the group, at last! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it!_


	5. Chapter 4: Bigger, Better, Grander

_A/N: Here's the latest chapter, enjoy folks!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

When they had finally outrun the monstrous old woman, the eight stopped to regain their breath, doubled over in exhaustion. They turned and faced each other; Mello, Matt, Near, and Neo still looking like a four year old girls fashion experiment, and began to laugh. It was an uncontrollable laughter that seized their bodies, it possessed them making them convulse, tears rolling down their faces. It was Near who spoke first when they had finally calmed down.

'What does this mean?' He asked holding out the piece of paper he had found at the bottom of one of the packages with the words 'The War is back on' written across it.

It was Mello, much to everyone's surprise, who answered Nears question.

'Last year we three shits.' He said indicating himself, Matt, and Neo. 'Got into a prank war with those four fuckers.' He pointed at L, Light, Misa, and Kiyomi.

'Yeah.' Matt agreed. 'And I guess that they couldn't take being beaten last year so it's back on.'

'Yeah.' Neo added sarcastically. 'You better watch out, or I'll do something awful like cut off your hands, or worse paint your toenails pink.'

The others ignored Neo and instead shifted their focus onto Near.

'The question is; are you in or out?' said Light.

Near raised his eyebrow questioningly.

'What Light means.' L explained. 'Is that you were just collateral damage in this prank; if you don't want to get involved you don't have too. So…'

'Are you in?' Misa exclaimed loudly, finishing L sentence.

Near thought about this question, how he'd needed something to bond with the others over, a way to feel accepted. They were offering him a way into their world, a chance for him to make his first friends. He knew that there was really only one option here.

They all looked at him expectantly.

'Matt, Neo, Mello…' Near said. 'Lets get revenge.'

Matt cheered when Near said this and picked him up, holding him in a death grip and shaking him, glitter being expelled off Near's body and floating to the ground like drops of a sun shower catching the sunlight. Neo's scowl was replaced with a smug little smile and she zipped up her red boomer jacket slightly, a move that would have seemed much more purposeful if she hadn't been covered in glitter. Mello said nothing; he just pulled another chocolate bar out of his pocket and began to silently eat it.

'You're going down or something… because you suck!' Neo said.

'Hell yeah!' Matt shouted. 'Come on guys, lets go plan.'

…

The next half an hour for Mello, Matt, Near, and Neo had been occupied by a desperate attempt to get the copious amounts of glitter off their bodies. The tiny sparkling specks stuck to their bodies as if they were magnets, a forceful brush wouldn't see them fall from your body but rather they would simply stick instead to the hand that had tried to remove them. The four of them had stood around outside the sophomore dorm buildings brushing themselves in a futile manner, dancing around like people possessed. This provided a great amount of amusement for students passing by and several even ate their lunches outside, watching the four of them. In the end, despite having dozens of glittering specks shining on their clothes, faces, and hair, they resolved to head up to Mello and Matts dorm and begin planning.

Now they sat around the dorm, engaged in a brainstorming session, each occupied with activities to help them think. Mello laid on one of the couches, a bar of chocolate in hand, eating it slowly. He chewed chewing over in his mind whilst he chewed chocolate in his mouth, as an idea started to blossom he'd chew harder and fast and when the idea was worthless his chewing would return to a slow methodical pace.

Neo sat on the other couch her scarf in one hand a pen in the other. Every thirty seconds or so she would give her scarf a violent shake to try and dislodge the glitter entrenched in the fabric. She used the pen to write on a pad that she had balanced on her lap. She scribbled down words in Latin with beautiful calligraphy, writing poems or as Mello called it, ' _pretentious nonsense. A flower is a just flower no matter what else you liken it to'_.

Matt sat on the bottom bunk of the bed, a Nintendo 3DS in his hand. The screens reflected the brightly coloured games onto his goggle, their lenses becoming both mirrors of the screen and windows into his mind, displaying that which he was thinking about. He tapped the screens and buttons at great speeds, occasionally going wide eyed with surprise when 'something 3D' happened, only for him to resume his blank faced tapping a moment later, the only movements his quick paced hand and the reflections on his goggles.

Near crouched on the floor with a large box of dominoes that he had retrieved from his room next to him. Slowly he erected a tower, building the monumental structure upwards until he had to stand to add more onto the steadily growing creation. He twirled a lock of hair around his finger slowly, rotating it as if rotating idea's through his head, the pace quickening and slowing in much the same manner as Mello's chewing.

'Fuck this.' Mello said standing suddenly. 'We need to think of something.'

'Think? That would be a first for you.' Neo said.

'Burn!' Matt chimed in.

Matt closed his 3DS, ran over to Neo, the two high-fived. Mello watched on, his temper already reaching a boiling point. He turned and kicked Near's domino tower, causing the black and white architecture to burst outwards across the floor. Near jumped when Mello's foot connected with his tower, having been so deep in his won thoughts that he had become oblivious to what was going on around him.

'Mello please do not.' He said quietly, pulling his hand away from his hair.

'Fuck that.' Mello said kicking the dominoes again. He then grabbed Near by his shirt and shouted into his face. 'This shit isn't working sheep boy!'

Matt placed his hand over Mellos and slowly guided him into putting down the wide eyed Near.

'Ok Mello, calm down…' Matt said.

'Leave him.' Neo said in a deadpan. 'He's clearly menstruating.'

'Shut the fuck up Neo you piece of shit.'

'That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me Mello.'

Near watched this verbal crossfire, Mello and Neo attacking each other with increasingly stinging remarks and an overwhelmed Matt trying to call a ceasefire. _'How does anything get done here?'_ Near wondered to himself. _'All they do is argue, it's completely irrational, much like emotions.'_ Near went about picking up his dominoes and began reconstructing the tower, collecting his thoughts and focusing them on a comeback prank.

Meanwhile the argument continued between Neo and Mello.

'All I'm saying that is if we're going to be making Godzilla analogies here, I'm totally Godzilla and you're Mothra.' Neo said.

'You take that the fuck back!' Mello shouted at her.

'Guys please…' Matt said.

'I am way more Godzilla than you Neo.' Mello said he then turned to the tower that Near was reconstructing and kicked it. 'See?'

'Well you're certainly more an asshole.' Neo countered. 'And besides you can't be Godzilla. You don't like fish.'

'How is that fucking relevant?' Mello said.

'Guys, come on…' Matt said again.

'Please be quiet.' Near said.

The other three all turned to face him, Mello's face was still red from shouting and Neo's scowl was more fierce than usual. Matt made a mental note to that Near later for taking that bullet.

'You have become distracted from our objective.' Near stated, this seemed to calm Neo and Mello somewhat. 'As crucial as Godzilla may be we still have a revenge prank to plan out.'

'Ok, genius boy.' Mello said. 'What do you suggest?'

This gave Near some pause; he looked at back at Mello. He could sense the blonde already growing smug and disdainful, the corners of his mouth were already starting to shift into a condescending sneer. Near knew that he had to come up with something quickly, he didn't want to seem weak in comparison to the others, and he had to prove that he could keep up.

He began twirling a lock of hair around his finger.

Near's gaze shifted over the floor, his thinking mechanism spraying all over the floor in a disorganised mess, he'd never be able to collect his thoughts while the dominoes were like this. It was as if something bigger, better, and grander had come along and torn apart his ideas before he could have them. ' _Wait'._ Near thought back over his recent thoughts, he could feel the stares of the others over him, their judgement and disappointment growing, they'd welcomed him and they were regretting it, Near was sure of it, ' _that's how people worked right?'_

' _Like I would know.'_ Near thought. _'I've never had friends before, they're my first, I can't lose them.'_ Near knew that he was becoming emotional and therefore irrational, and just as his irrationality was growing time was diminishing. It was like a door was swinging closed and he had seconds at the most to stop it, but to stop it he needed an idea; he needed to clear his thoughts, to become rational. Near could feel it, sitting there, it was in what he had thought.

' _Bigger, better, grander…'_ if only his dominoes hadn't been sprayed out in front him as if they were debris from an explosion.

' _An explosion! Bigger, better, grander! Of course!'_ Near thought to himself. He had it.

'You see.' Near began, ending the silence. The other three leaned in, Matt and Neo hopefully, Mello ready for a good laugh. 'What we need to do, isn't just come up with something better, its got to be bigger.'

'Well no shit!' Mello said dissolving into laughter. 'Is that all, well shit, I could have told you that.'

'I am not finished.' Near said quietly keeping his face emotionless but shame consuming him from within.

'I mean really! Wow!' Mello continued. 'Its got to be bigger! He's a genius, a certified genius.'

'I am not finished.' Near repeated, his head sinking slightly.

'Mello, shut up.' Matt said. 'Let the kid finish.'

'Matt, will you stop being protecting him, you're not his brother.' Mello spat back.

Neo, her eyes playing scene of a soon-to-be murder, walked over to Mello and slapped him hard across the face, the action leaving a bright red mark to match his scar. Matt lifted his goggles and rubbed his eyes to make sure what he had just seem was real.

'Mello, shut up before I physically remove both your kneecaps with a spoon. Apologise and let Near finish.'

Neo said this in a terrifying whisper, Mello's expression changed from a haughty smugness to a cold sweat instantaneously.

'Sorry… Near.' He said slowly.

'Now, you were saying Near.' Neo said, brushing down her boomer jacket casually.

'Well.' Near began, regaining his composure, compartmentalizing the irrational shame. 'I was saying we need to go bigger. But what we need to do is humiliate them with their own prank.'

A puzzled look crossed the faces of Neo and Matt, their curiosity piqued. Mello gave a contemptuous huff, pulled out a bar of chocolate and began to eat.

'So… a bigger glitter bomb?' Matt asked.

'Essentially.' Near said. 'But we should upgrade, bigger and better than their prank. If we used more glitter it would seem contrived. So instead we should prank them using a bigger, louder, and more destructive version of glitter.'

Mello sniggered under his breath, _'was Near for real? This plan would never work. What was a bigger version of glitter, honestly he was such a rookie.'_

'So.' Near said, humouring Near. 'What's a bigger louder version of glitter?'

'A five year old girls birthday party?' Matt offered.

'A mardi gras?' Neo said.

'No.' Near said. 'I'll tell you…'

Matt and Neo leaned in toward the tiny albino; Mello went to take another bite out of his chocolate.

'Fireworks.'

Mello stopped mid bite, the chocolate still in his mouth. Matt and Neo both turned to look at each other, grins dawning on their faces. Near sat looking at them expectantly, his eyes wide, waiting for their approval or dismissal. He held his breath, as they turned back to face him.

'Near.' Matt began. 'You are a 100% certified genius.'

'Really?'

'Yes!' Neo said her face with the widest scariest grin on it. Near found it so out of place on her normally scowling face that he wished she would become unhappy.

'Mels!' Matt said. 'What do you think?'

Mello was still frozen in mid bite, taking more time to mull over the plan. He picked it apart internally, weighing up all the factors, the risks, the rewards. While he didn't want to admit it, Near had actually come up with a good idea, _'No, scratch that, a brilliant idea'._ He turned to face the snow haired boy, he by no measure liked him yet, but if he kept this up he might just forge himself a place in their little band. Mello finally shut his jaw, biting hard into the chocolate, a loud snap echoing around the room. He walked over to Near and gave him a small grin.

'Its batshit insane.' Mello began. 'But I think that's why it might just work. I'll run with it. But if it doesn't come through, its on your head sheep boy'

Near let out an apprehensive breath that he hadn't realised he was holding. He let happiness flood him internally, _'They like my plan, even Mello'_ he thought. He'd never admit to them how much the acceptance meant to him, he didn't want to seem clingy, but they had treated him like an equal, accepted his idea.

Near was a true part of the group, not just an outside among insiders.

'So.' Matt said, rubbing his hands together. 'Lets get planning.'

…

Psychology had been, much to Lights relief, devoid of Mello. Miss Naomi didn't care much either, tales of the prank had circulated around the school, the endless desire for gossip pumping the story around like blood and the hungry students had lapped it up like the social vampires that they were. By the time that Light had reached the Cafeteria everyone already knew the story, how the glitter bombs had exploded in the front office, how the old hag that the school had employed as a receptionist had chased the victims and perpetrators out alike, and how the new kid had gotten caught up in it all.

While nobody had any proof of it, everyone knew who the masterminds of the plot were. Misa wasn't smart enough to act independently like that and Kiyomi was too much of a straight A's square, which left boy geniuses Light and L. If everyone else had been able to figure out who had orchestrated the prank then Mello, who had a mind like a steel trap, certainly had figured it out.

Light was grateful that Mello had shirked the lesson, it gave him time to calm down. Quite frankly everyone else, especially the teachers, were equally glad, a victimised Mello was an angry Mello and an angry Mello was an unpleasant Mello.

Instead Light had sat through Psychology in relative bliss, relative of course due to the incessant pestering of the girls around him. Light himself had never been entirely certain as to why the girls seemed to gravitate around him, if gossip was one type of blood than it appeared that to women he was another. He would constantly try to brush them off, but this seemingly did nothing but pull them closer toward him, letting them sink their fangs in further.

'Light can you help me? Please?'

'You're very talented, I'm sure you can manage without me.'

'You think I'm talented?'

'Well of course, you are at Wammy's after all.'

'He thinks I'm talented!'

'Well yes, you're all talented and beautiful and a multitude of other good things, now if you don't mind…'

'He thinks we're beautiful.'

'Well you are all very pretty yes, but if you don't mind I'd like to…'

'Which is the most pretty though?'

'I'd like to do my work please!'

' _Honestly.'_ Light thought to himself. _'They're acting like I'm leading them on, I just want them to go away so I can do my work!'_ That was what he liked about Kiyomi, she valued learning as much as he did and was always willing to give him space, or even better, study with him.

Miss Naomi gave Light a little smile, every year someone gorgeous and charming would come through her class and catch the attention of every other female in the room, without fail. Normally Naomi disliked that student greatly, they made teaching difficult and they often had an air of arrogance about them. But Light was different, he wasn't even aware he was doing it. He attracted women much the way she did hormonal teenagers, and he was completely oblivious to the fact he was doing it, much the way she had been at his age. She couldn't help but relate to the hapless Light.

Light gave Miss Naomi an exhausted nod, this got a silent chuckle, and she then turned back to the board. Light decided to take a leaf out of her book and return to his, writing down the notes she was inscribing onto the board and adding his personal annotations in the margins; observations, connections and pieces of Light's own personal knowledge. The one thing Light liked about her classes was that she always rewarded students who went above and beyond the prescribed knowledge for the course, so he had a chance to really flex his intellectual muscles.

The girls realising Light wasn't going to talk anymore and without their other choice of eye candy (Mello) present decided to attempt doing work for a change. This made for a pleasant change in Naomi's mind, they might learn something for once. They boys wouldn't, she was well aware how many of them picked the class just because she taught it, and she was resigned to the fact that most of them were there to admire her and would fail the class.

The class went on in a general silence, save for the scratching of pens on paper and whispering of boys about Naomi's perfect physique.

' _A rare, ideal class'_ Light later remarked to himself as he sat in his dorm, writing into one of his black workbooks with a pen. He and L, his roommate, had been sitting there for hours now, as they often did, absorbed in their own activities. Light was doing work (much to the surprise of no one), but not just any work, this was all hypothetical.

When Kiyomi had asked him over dinner what his plans for the evening had been and he had responded with _'a criminology assignment'_ she had been, understandably confused. The criminology assignments were notoriously difficult and as a result everyone knew when they were issued due to the general complaining of the students.

Seeing as the hallways that afternoon hadn't been filled with the loud complaining of criminology students Kiyomi could be certain that no assignment had been issued. When she enquired further as to when the assaignment had been issued Light had explained that it hadn't been, at least not yet.

Light had done calculations and had made a prediction about the first assignment of the new school year. He had hypothesised that it would be a criminal profiling of an uncaught criminal and he was going to use the evening to brainstorm potential subjects for the study. When Kiyomi had heard this she rolled her eyes and then given Light a smirk. _'You're complete nerd, Light.'_ She loved that about him.

Now Light sat on the top bunk of the bed, his white shirt unbuttoned, writing down names: _Bible John, the Flat-Tire murderer, the Monster of Udine, the Zodiac Killer…_

He was interrupted by L, who had gotten up from the couch where he had been mindlessly browsing on his laptop, and who was now tapping his arm lightly. The raven-haired teen gave him an unusual expression, his lips were pulled tightly shut, his sleepless eyes were fixed on Light. He looked like a small child silently _'May I interrupt?'_ to a parent. _'To a large extent,'_ Light bitterly thought to himself, _'he was the adult in the situation.'_

Light knew that expression well, and he knew just as well that there was going to be no ignoring L. He put down his school work and turned to face the teen.

'Lawliet.' He said. 'What can I do for you?'

L clambered up onto the top bunk and perched himself at the opposite end of the bed, crouching quite comfortably on the edge of the bed. He had been thinking about the conversation that he and Misa had partaken in only one day earlier and his curiosity had grown, he had to know who Light was interest in.

Normally L couldn't have cared less about who liked who, but this was the first time it had concerned not one, but two of his friends. L appreciated Lights company, the two considering each other their closest friends, but L realised that he had no inkling into Light's preferences as far as significant others were concerned. He had no interest himself, but he did wish to understand his friend better, and Misa had given him the perfect opportunity to delve into the topic.

'Well, I have been wondering about you.' L said.

'Me?' Light replied, slightly confused.

'Yes indeed. More specifically, I have been curious as to what criteria you have and how that helps you have preferences.'

'Preferences?' Light asked.

Light was used to this, L so often became absorbed in his own thoughts, made mental leaps and connections between different ideas. The issue was that L never actually articulated these leaps and just expected his conversation partner to be able to follow along, often leaving them completely confused and lost, much to the annoyance of L. The only way to follow along was to interrupt and ask questions before L had time to move on.

Additionally, all these factors made L awful at public speaking.

'Yes preferences.' L said. 'As in preferences with people.'

'Like ownership?' Light asked, confused.

'If that's how you want to look at it, then I suppose, yes.'

'Look at what?'

'Relationships.'

'Relationships…' Light said slowly. 'As in…'

'As in between two or more people that are romantically involved.' L said.

'So you're asking me about who I like?' Light said confused.

Light wasn't confused at the topic of conversation, it had come up often enough with different people of course. The ever-hungry gossip machine within the school constantly tried to pry the information out of him, and Misa and Kiyomi both had asked him before, he'd just never expected L to take an interest in that line of conversation.

'Yes.' L said. 'That is indeed my line of questioning. For example, what do you think of Misa?'

'Misa?' Light said surprised, this conversation was really going down a road he hadn't been expecting. This was completely unlike L, he had never shown an interest in the emotions of others or himself, so why the change. 'Why do you want to know L?'

'For personal reasons.' L replied.

Light began connecting all the information in his head, trying to uncover the reason for L's questioning. _'Why the sudden interest in romance, and Misa of all people? Granted she was gorgeous, but why does he want to know what I think of her, unless…'_

'L, are you interested in Misa?'

L sighed, he had feared that Light might do this, he often jumped to conclusions in an attempt to figure out the motives of others. L had to redirect the conversation back to the original topic, force Light to ignore this line of questioning.

'Can we please return to the original question?' L asked hastily.

'You are interested in her!' Light exclaimed.

'I assure you that I am not…'

'Its ok, I won't tell.'

'Light please…'

'Don't worry your secret is safe with me.'

'Light I have no interest…'

'Ah don't get embarrassed, its ok.'

'I am not embarrassed.'

'Sure…'

L sighed, hopped of the top bunk and returned to his laptop, _'this had been a complete waste of time, he'd made this complicated situation worse.'_

Light looked at his friend, he had to confess he'd never expected L to be a romantic, and for Misa of all people.

Still stranger things had happened.

…

Mello, Matt, Near, and Neo had been planning all afternoon, outlining every step of the prank from the acquisition of fireworks to were the prank would take place. When Near looked at the time and saw it was almost 10 o'clock he informed them that he had to go, after all his mothers call would be in any moment and she would get hysterical if he didn't answer. Neo decided to leave also, she walked Near down the hall a small pat on his still glittering head.

Near entered his dorm, the toys on the floor were still in the same positions from when the other three had kidnapped him. There was no pattern or organization, none of Near's meticulous design, instead they were scattered over the floor randomly from when Near had been tackled to the ground. Despite his exhaustion Near began to pick them up and reorganise them into a new pattern, using them as pieces in his new design.

He was interrupted by the mobile phone which began buzzing at exactly 10 o'clock, his mother had always been punctual.

'Mother.'

'Nate, honey, oh my goodness, are you alright?'

'Yes.'

'There's nothing wrong? The school told me you missed a class this afternoon.'

Near had forgotten completely about class, becoming consumed all afternoon in the revenge prank planning, he had to come up with an excuse fast.

'Well I had been feeling poorly earlier, but it has since subsided.'

'You were unwell?' Mrs River screeched down the phone line. 'Why didn't you tell the school?'

'Because it was of no major concern.'

'Nate…'

'I was well taken care of, it was only nausea.'

'Oh, who took care of you?'

'Friends.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well I feel like the last two chapters have been very important, the plot is finally starting to move, now the story can get really fun. Anyway, please leave a review if you are so inclined._


	6. Chapter 5: Fascinating in their Own Ways

_A/N: Here is the new chapter! Thanks for all the reviews I got they were really great! Anyway, enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

Mello stood outside room 2.18 appraising the clutter that had been dumped at the door. On one side stood Matt, Misa, and L on the other Neo and Near. Matt gave a low whistle, admiring the pile of cardboard boxes that had been arranged outside Near's dorm, the others, Mello included shared this sentiment. The kid really didn't know how to deal with guests.

To be fair they'd effectively invited themselves over to Near's room, pestering him all through Tuesday and Wednesday until he finally gave in. Now they all stood outside, the occasional passer by forcing room between them so they could navigate the hall. Mello gave Near a sideways glance, the albino looked at the boxes, the puzzlement on his face shifting slowly into an expression of frustrated understanding.

'So…' Matt began, trying to cut through the silence.

'Who sent this shit, sheep boy?' Mello cut across, nodding at the boxes.

'My mother.' Near replied with a bitter tone.

Mello blinked momentarily, taking in this information with mild confusion, _'mother, right.'_ Mello paused, allowing his mind to follow tracks of thought he hadn't explored in a long time, silently frozen in realised he was taking to long to answer and hastily pulled a bar of chocolate out of his pocket, unwrapping it and biting into it with a loud snap.

He glanced over the others, nobody seemed to have noticed his momentary lapse in concentration, they seemed oblivious, all to focused on the boxes.

'Mother?' Mello asked.

'Yes.' Near said. 'My mother had said she was sending furniture for the room. I had informed her not to do so, but it appears that she felt the need to anyway.'

'Your room could use more furniture, it sucks at the moment.' Neo chimed in.

'I'm going to send it back.' Near said.

'No you're fucking not!' Mello exclaimed. 'You are not throwing your mothers kindness back in your face! You are going to accept the gift and you are going to like it!'

'Ok, calm down Mels.' Matt said.

'You fucking calm down, I'm fine!'

Matt suddenly let out a string of violent coughs, between which everyone could have sworn they'd heard the words 'drama queen.' He then looked back up at Mello, adjusting his goggles, which had become slightly askew during the fit.

'My apologies.' Matt said with a cheeky grin.

Mello ignored this, and instead turned back to Near.

'So, let us in, you're going to need help building all this.'

Near said nothing, but Mello could have sworn the albino gave him an eye roll, _'he's spent to much time around Neo.'_ Near pushed open his dorm door and walked in, followed closely by the other five. Neo and Near began to cross the room slowly, navigating their way through the sea of toys as they usually did. The other four however had frozen on the island of free floor space taking in the landscape of toys in front of them.

Mello appraised the room; it's floor was covered in dominoes and dice today, which Near had stacked so that they formed a three foot high city, an entire world frozen in time for them. Matt lifted his goggles off his face to look at the space without the tinted lenses, it was the first time he or Mello had seen Near's room properly, last time they'd been busy kidnapping the architect of this artistry.

Behind them Misa and L stood taking in the room as well, appreciating the time it must have taken to construct this world.

'This is amazing!' Misa said.

'It is very impressive Near.' L agreed, giving a small nod to the snow haired boy who was now deftly navigating the space.

Near beckoned Mello over, and the blonde began to move toward him, taking care with each step so as not the displace any of Near's creation. He had to admire the scope and vision of the little guy, all the thought and planning that had gone into the creation of such an expansive world space. He may not have been sure about the kid, but he finally understood how he had been able to come up with fireworks idea, _'this kid is a genius.'_

'What do you need sheep boy?' Mello asked as he reached where Near was standing.

'I need your skill set.' Near replied.

'My skill set?'

'Yes. I need you to destroy the city, you have shown an aptitude of the dismantling of my creations.'

Mello thought back to when Near had been stacking dominoes during their brainstorming session of Monday. _'Clearly he was referring to when I kicked over his tower, but he looked annoyed then, why is he suddenly ok?'_ Mello looked down at Near, his deep grey eyes wide with expectation.

'You want me to destroy this?' Mello asked.

'I thought I had made that desire evident.'

'Why?' Matt and Misa shouted, voicing the thoughts of everyone in the room.

'Because.' Near explained. 'Mello wishes to construct the furniture, which unfortunately requires extra space.'

Near turned back to Mello with an expression that, Mello couldn't be sure, was smugness. Mello took another loud bite out of his chocolate, the snapping echoing around the silent room. He could feel the judgement of everyone in the room, their anger that it was he who was forcing Near to undo all this work. _'That damn barstards is pinning this on me!'_ Mello thought angrily to himself. _'He wants me to give in because he doesn't want the furniture.'_ Mello had to confess that it was a clever plan, he was still underestimating Near, clearly he was a force to be reckoned with if he desired it. Mello wondered just how much of that tantalising power and will Near possessed, he could almost taste it.

He bit chewed the chocolate slowly, savouring it's sweet sugary taste. _'Well I'm not going to let that little shit get the better of me so easily. It's not my fault he was going to be rude to his mother after all.'_

Mello swallowed the chocolate and turned away from Near, not letting his quiet confidence or the judgement of the other get to him. He suddenly lashed out, kicking the nearest building of dice, letting them splay all over the room, ricocheting off around the space. He kicked another building, made of dominoes this time, and watched it slowly collapse, as if the ground beneath it was giving way sucking it down too. He continued with the destruction, everyone watching on in silence until the entire city had been levelled.

'Good.' Near said, never letting his poker face drop. 'Now could everyone help me pick all this up. After that we can start constructing the furniture.'

They worked on the furniture for several hours, Near's mother having sent a flat pack wardrobe, desk, coffee table, and TV stand, all of a matching bland modern style. She'd also sent a large couch, which couldn't fit through the door and a TV that Near knew he wasn't going to use.

What had become immediately apparent was that between the six of them they had about as much experience with building flat pack furniture as a household pet. It had taken them the better part of an hour to find a toolbox, as the soon realised that none of them owned one so they went around to each room, asking if they could borrow one. Ultimately it had only been due to Misa's presence that a particularly hormonal teenager had given in and lent them one.

They had returned to the room to find Matt and Neo, who had been left behind to unpack the boxes, sitting on the floor playing Matt's PSP. Beside them were the contents of all the boxes, unceremoniously dumped into a single pile, The boxes that they had come in were nowhere to be seen. When Near enquired as to where they had gone, Neo explained that he'd thrown them out the window.

And so construction began, the six of them working together, Misa sitting on the bed unhelpfully reading out instructions for the others, telling them that they need to _'put that thing with that thing, then sick them together using that other thing.'_ Neo sat on the bed next to her, being equally unhelpful, as she had decided to read them a funeral eulogy in Latin to 'motivate them'.

'Neo.' Matt asked, interrupting her. 'Could you help us and do something.'

'I don't want to do things. Doing things is my least favourite thing. I want not to do things.' Neo said in a monotone response.

'Fucking thanks.' Mello whispered.

'You're welcome.'

They continued on, Near, Matt, Mello, and L combining all of their handyman knowledge under the dubious instruction if Misa. But slowly they built each piece of furniture, standing Near on top of it when it was finished to make sure it wouldn't fall apart suddenly. The couch was the biggest issue, with the six of them having to fit the bulky item through the door. It had taken them half and hour, Mello having shouted 'pivot' so many times that everyone had lost count.

By the time that Near's mother called at ten o'clock they were Near done, with a tired Matt finishing up, doing the last screw on the coffee table. Mello watched Near answer the phone intently, seeing how his body language visibly changed even for a phone call. Near stood up a little straighter, as if trying to improve his posture up with a false happiness.

'Mother.'

Mello listened closely, trying to hear anything Near's mother said, he didn't need to though. She screamed her words so loudly from the other end of the phone that they were quite audible even from the other side of the room. Near cringed a little at this, it was the first facial expression that Mello had seen him make without having to decipher it through a poker faced veil.

'Nate, honey! Did you get my presents?'

'Yes mother.'

'Did you have trouble building it?'

'No mother, my friends helped me.'

'That was awfully nice of them.'

'Yes.'

'Well that's all, talk again tomorrow! I love you!'

Near hung up the phone and walked over to the couch, collapsing onto it in exhaustion. _'What was his issue with his mother?'_ Mello thought, _'all he's done is act like a fucking bitch every time someone mentions her.'_ Mello stared at Near as he wondered this, observing every aspect of the tiny boy in an attempt to understand his thoughts and, assuming he actually had any, feelings.

Matt saw this out the corner of his eyes and smiled.

'Well, this was really fun.' Neo said standing, adding sarcastically. 'I really liked the bit where it took all night.'

This pulled Mello back into reality very quickly.

'You didn't fucking do anything!'

'I existed, that was enough work.'

'Oh get fucked Neo.'

L intervened before this turned nasty. Mello and Neo had especially vicious arguments when they were tired.

'Ok, I think we should all go to bed.' L said.

'Yeah, I'm leaving, night Near.'

The others said their goodnights and made their exits, leaving Near alone in his now furnished dorm. He fell asleep where he was sitting within a matter of minutes.

Mello and Matt made their way around the corner to their own room where they quickly collapsed onto their own couches in much the same way that Near had done in his room. Matt looked up at Mello, something was clearly eating at the blonde, there was no chocolate in his hand but his eyes were filled with a faraway look of contemplation.

'What'cha thinking about?' He asked Mello.

Mello looked over the red-head a smiled. Matt had always known him as well, if not better than better than he did himself. There was really no point trying to hide it, Matt had probably already figured out what it was and just wanted to here Mello say it.

'I can't get Near figured out.' He said truthfully. 'The way he acts around other people, he's just so… I dunno.'

'How eloquent.'

'Shut up.'

Mello turned where he laid to face Matt properly, looking intently. Matt understood the cue and matched Mello, ready to listen to what the blonde had to say.

'What I don't get is the way Near acts about his mother.' Mello confessed.

'It was weird.'

'Like what's his issue with her?'

'Who knows, he's not exactly an open book.'

'I think he should be nicer, I would if I were him.'

'Well not everybody is you Mels.'

'True, but she was nothing but nice the whole time.'

'Hmm.' Matt said. 'Near does seem very quiet, maybe he wishes his mum was more quiet too.'

'I wish he was louder.'

'Oh?'

'I'm gonna figure that kid out.'

'Ok, Mels.'

Matt smiled to himself, _'Mello just doesn't have any clue did he? He'll figure it out at some point.'_ Matt closed his eyes and began to drift off into sleep, Mello would figure it out for sure, he just had to do it in his own time.

' _God he's an idiot.'_

…

Whilst the others had spent the evening assembling furniture in Near's room, Kiyomi and Light had spent the evening in the library, studying. Kiyomi liked studying with Light, he was always so absorbed in his work that he wouldn't distract her, but if she needed assistance he'd drop everything he was doing without a second thought. Also, that face he pulled when he was trying to figure something out, it was, dare she think it, cute? He'd furrow his eyebrows and squint ever so slightly whilst rubbing his temple with his free hand, the embodiment of poise and focus. He'd pulled that face the day they took the entrance exam, nearly a year and a half ago.

Truth be told, she hadn't liked Light very much that day, the way he had entered the exam room back in Japan with a level of cockiness that was almost unbearable. To be fair, he was probably the smartest student at Wammy's, which probably made him one of the smartest people for his age in the world. Of course everyone at Wammy's were geniuses, the school took the best of best from around the world, but Light was something else. The way his mind raced through ideas at incredible speeds, and how he combined that intelligence with charm and good looks, _'some people get all the good luck.'_

' _Well I guess I'm lucky too in my own way.'_ Kiyomi thought to herself. _'That is if I believed in luck.'_ Kiyomi had always been a bit too much of cynic if she was honest, her family had always been very traditional and religious, but even from a young age she had rejected those beliefs. She had always focused on what was tangible and understandable, not the pseudo-spirituality that people frequently referred to as Shinto.

Luck, fate, karma, soul mates, all of them were creations of the weaker in mind to validate their existence. Kiyomi noted how Misa also believed in all these things, _'honestly, how had that girl gotten into this school?'_ Kiyomi knew the answer of course, she'd gotten in on a performing arts scholarship, and as long as she performed well in those subjects her place here was secure. Kiyomi couldn't help but be slightly bitter about it though, she'd gotten in through years hard work and study and then along comes Misa who can sing a song and cry fake tears and she gets a free pass, honestly the world made no sense.

'You ok there?' Light asked, interrupting Kiyomi's thoughts.

Kiyomi blinked and looked at the brunette in slight shock. She'd completely lost track of her thoughts and had been starring off into space for minutes now. Here she was criticising Misa when she currently was no better. _'Still.'_ Kiyomi thought. _'I'm a science student and she's a performing arts student, there's a world of difference right there._ '

'I was thinking about things.' Kiyomi responded.

'What things?'

'Well, spirituality actually.'

'Spirituality? That hardly seems like you.'

'Well.' Kiyomi explained. 'I was thinking about what drives people to believe in those sorts of things.'

'Oh?' Light asked.

Kiyomi loved that about him, he was always interested, always willing to listen to her thoughts.

'Well I was thinking about how people can believe in divinity, and how that influences things like fate and karma. It just seems ludicrous that we need to justify our actions by creating an entire system of belief and unexplainable occurrences, isn't the fact that we are living enough of a justification?'

'People want to feel like their life has a purpose, they don't want to be an accident of nature.'

'Nature doesn't make accidents Light.'

'You know what I meant.'

'I suppose so.'

Kiyomi thought about it, Light did have a point, people did like to feel important, but that doesn't change the science of it all.

'Do you believe in those sorts of things?' Kiyomi asked.

This gave Light some pause, he pulled that face again, his entire expression furrowing in contemplation. Kiyomi smirked at this, the way he was taking the whole discussion so seriously, it was adorably nerdy.

'I think that it doesn't matter if there's a God or not, we owe it to ourselves to be the best we can, to believe that we have some great purpose in this world.'

'So you're saying that in a sense, all those concepts are real?'

'I'm saying that human action creates those concepts, karma is inescapable because a man can dominate everyone else for his whole life without retribution only to have never experienced love. It's all real, whether you want to see it through the eyes of science or religion.'

'So you do believe in it?' Kiyomi pressed, finding Lights words fascinating.

'I believe in consciousness and the need to believe in something, you can move around the furniture as much as you like, the emotions of the people in the room don't change. Consciousness is shaped by fear and joy, hatred and tenderness, they shape our beliefs. We don't know as much as we would like, but what I know is that people can feel, just as we feel, and that is as good a starting point as any.'

When Light finished his monologue he returned to his book, absorbing himself in his world of law, justice, and criminals. Kiyomi sat there, mulling over Lights words, he was right in a sense. It was a fascinating point of view, that the scientist and the priest could be governed by the same beliefs, even if they appeared different. Kiyomi looked back at Light, he was brilliant, compelling, and fascinating, she wanted to know more. ' _He is beautiful, on the inside and out.'_

Kiyomi smiled at this and returned to her work, she'd never been one to be dominated by emotions any more than beliefs, and yet here she was.

' _Its all very intriguing, in its own way.'_ Kiyomi thought to herself.

…

Friday morning crawled around, the skyline clothed in a soft grey. For Mello, Near, and Light the morning would begin with criminology, and today was the day that Light had guessed Miss Naomi would be handing out the assessment. While Light sat in the class, focused on this, Mello sat focused instead on Near.

Mello had been serious the night before when he had said he was going to figure out the little snow haired boy. His face was calm and emotionless as usual, his pale skin revealing none of the thoughts he was having, none of the mind that was ticking over like a machine.

' _No, machine was the wrong word.'_ Mello thought, that inferred a level of industrialism and coldness, a tool that served only a single purpose and was lifeless when not in use. That wasn't Near, that wasn't his mind at all. _'He's mind was more like… cogs and gears, yes that's it.'_ Near's mind was like an intricate puzzle of interlocking pieces, each ticking and moving, interacting with another as a part of a grand machine. Whilst it was still a machine, which was in many ways an apt description for Near, there was also a certain level of beauty in way that the gears would turn.

Their different sizes and interlocking unity, all needed to make the machine work properly. While it was functional, that wasn't what made it special, it was the way that each gear shone in when subjected to light, the way that the grinding and ticking sound was aggravating and coarse when heard alone, but when you listened to every gear ticking at once the sound become almost beautiful, a grand design.

' _Yes, that was Near.'_ Mello thought to himself, satisfied. He didn't know a lot about the little guy yet, but he knew that he wasn't going to find a better description for him. He was reserved and quiet, but Mello could see behind his eyes the turning gears.

Mello wasn't sure if he liked the little guy yet, but he was fascinating.

Miss Naomi entered the class, in her hand a bundle of bright pink paper. The entire class (save for Light) groaned when they saw the paper. Everyone around the school knew that all assessments were distributed on pink paper, which meant that they were getting a criminology assessment, the worst of the worst.

'Fuck me.' Mello said loudly.

The words hung in the classroom silently for several seconds and then everyone dissolved into laughter. While the class was laughing at this, Near turned to look at Mello.

The leather clad blonde was fascinating for the little Near. On the surface he displayed a façade of emotion and passion, but Near guessed that this was little more than surface level.

There was so much more to Mello, he was like one of Near's puzzles, so many pieces that made up the greater whole. Near had the outline constructed, but now he wanted to fill in the centre, understand the picture in the frame. Alone the frame was beautiful, artfully made with care and precision, but that wasn't the attraction. He wanted to understand the picture in that the frame held, but first he had to put it together.

To understand Mello, Near would have to understand what drove him. All he'd ever seen Mello really care about was chocolate, other than that he was argumentative and bitter. He seemingly opposed people around him because he could. The way he had to beat the others in this prank war, the way he and Neo argued, the way he forced Near to build the furniture last night.

There was something else there, Near was sure of it, he just had no idea what that was. He was going to figure it out.

After all, one doesn't leave a perfect puzzle unsolved.

'Ok class.' Miss Naomi said. 'As I'm sure you've figured out, it's the first assessment of the year.'

The class let out another groan.

'This one is going to be a criminal profiling assessment.'

At this Light gave himself a smug little grin, he'd been right, he'd guessed the first assessment of the year, he had the advantage over the others. _'I win.'_ He thought to himself, he didn't know who exactly he'd won against but he certainly had won.

Mello saw Light pull his little grin, 'he's so full of it!' Mello thought. He could feel anger already growing within him, like water beginning to boil.

'However, because I know this is the first assessment of the year, I decided to be nice.' Miss Naomi continued. 'And that's why I'm making this a group assessment, you will work in pairs.'

At this Lights grin fell, he hadn't been expecting this, not at all. He despised group work, he always got some idiot and he ended up doing all the work, yet still the other guy got his mark, for doing nothing!

Light looked over at Mello and Near pleadingly, they were the only person Light could tolerate, they'd put in the work, he was sure. Mello saw this look and nearly laughed, he felt sympathetic for Light, but he wasn't going to pass up on this opportunity to work with Near, he wasn't going to waste a chance to figure out the kid. They were going to be partners whether they liked it or not.

'Ok, so I'll let you pick your pairs, just put up your hand when… Oh yes, Nate.'

Mello turned to see that for the first time since he'd come to the school, Near had put up his hand. Curious.

'I will work with Mello.' Near stated.

Mello was taken aback at this, he hadn't been expecting Near to do this for a moment, and now here he was offering himself. _'I can't get this damn kid figured out!'_ Mello thought to himself. _'He always manages to catch me off guard.'_ Still, Mello wasn't going to waste this chance, and if Near was going to comply, then that just made it all the easier.

'Mello, are you ok with Near as a partner?' Miss Naomi asked.

'I am.'

'Well ok.'

Mello watched Light's expression sink out of the corner of his eyes, that look of betrayal mixed with defeat, it was almost pathetic. It was certainly hilarious. He knew that Light would have his revenge yet, but that really didn't matter. He looked back at Near, his partner.

' _I'm going to figure you out.'_

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well that chapter certainly turned out more philosophical than I was planning. Still the plot has moved along Mello and Near are assessment partners! Please leave a review and stay tuned for the next chapter!_


	7. Chapter 6: Two Minds at Work

_A/N: Here's the new chapter, enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note or any other properties referrenced._

* * *

The orange afternoon sun was descending over the skyline at Wammy's, bathing the academy grounds in warm amber glow. The autumn trees were caught in the waning sun, drinking in the light giving the autumn leaves a golden ambience. Students lazed around the campus grounds, some returning to their nearby homes for the weekend, others enjoying the last heat as the Friday drew to a close.

Mello watched all this from the window in Near's room, they were out there and he was trapped here. They'd both agreed to come straight to Near's room at the end of the school day and begin work on the assessment. Now they both sat in Near's newly furnished room, toying with different ideas for their assessment.

It had been nearly two hours and Mello was beginning to seriously regret every life decision that led him to this point.

' _It has to be an uncaught criminal'_ Mello thought, _'there are so many.'_ He looked at the little albino who sat crouched on the floor, clothed in _'those damn pyjamas, seriously, they're four fucking sizes too big!'_ Near was building a house of cards on his new coffee table, focusing intently on each card as he placed it, constructing the structure with determination and precision. _'Maybe he could try offering an idea'_ Mello thought bitterly.

Mello had to keep his focus, he wasn't doing this because he liked Near, he was doing it to figure out what made the kid tick. He gazed at Near, _'what does make him tick?'_ Every person has an 'in', the way to get them open up and divulge their secrets. For Matt it was easy you had to appeal to his obscene sense of humour or gaming and he'd practically force you to listen to his life story, he never was one for keeping things close to the chest. Neo had been more of a puzzle, at first Mello had assumed that you had to agree with her when she attacked them, but he'd eventually realized that she wanted to be challenged, it was her way of being validated. Once Mello had figured this out she was all too easy.

Nears 'in' was more puzzling though, because Mello had assumed that he was just your standard shy kid, force him into your world and then work at him piece by piece and they'd spill. But he'd done that with Near and he'd become no easier to understand, in fact the more he integrated himself into the world of his new friends the stranger a case he'd become. Mello's new theory was that you had to appeal to Nears intellect, prove to be a match and he'd open up. Mello hoped this was the case; otherwise it was back to the drawing board again.

Unfortunately for Mello, Near wasn't making this process easy in any regard.

'So, any ideas?' Mello asked.

'None as of yet.' Near responded, never looking away from his house of cards.

'Well perhaps you'd come up with something if you stopped fucking playing and concentrated on the matter at hand.' Mello said with gritted teeth.

'Perhaps.' Near said. 'Do you have some ideas Mello?'

'I've got a few options.'

'Continue.'

'The Alphabet Murders, B1 Butcher, Redhead Murders, or Bible John.'

'The Redhead Murders were unconnected, Max and Orroe are doing the B1 Butcher, Bible John was an accidental vehicular homicide, and the Alphabet Murders don't interest me.'

Mello sighed and pulled out another bar of chocolate, biting into it angrily with a loud snap. He wasn't sure how much more of this 'group work' he could take. Near shot down every idea before they had even started to consider it properly, he was impossible. Near ignored Mello and continued his stacking of cards. Sometimes he could see why the others had a soft spot for the kid, he was cute in a boyish kind of way. But if only they had known what an impossible freak he could be, they wouldn't be so fond then. _'He may be cute, but that not doing him any favours right now.'_

' _Still'_ Mello thought as he slumped onto a couch. _'I wanted this, I wanted to figure the kid out, and this is how it's going to happen.'_

Near was having no more luck with understanding Mello than Mello was having with Near. From the moment they had begun their brainstorming session Near had been observing Mello, how he reacted to each of his actions. The blonde had been strange to say the least, Near had expected him to have lost his temper by now, but he was holding it in. His contained anger was as plain as day, and had Near been Matt or Neo there was no doubt that Mello would have assaulted them with a barrage of shouts by now. _'He's restraining himself.'_ Near thought. _'But why? What is he trying to gain from this, what motivates him?'_

Near had assumed that Mello was like a constantly simmering flame of emotion, all you had to do was fuel it a bit to get the reaction one desired. But Near had been doing that, adding fuel to the flame by angering him, yet he was remaining calm and collected. _'Perhaps my initial assumption was wrong. Perhaps what he wants isn't to tell me but to have me figure it out. Yes that's it, he wants to be understood.'_

Near carefully added to the house of cards, now to understand Mello without him realising, it was going to be a balancing act of the highest order.

But the puzzle was worth it.

'I'm curious.' Near said. 'Why do you do criminology Mello?'

Mello looked at Near, who hadn't even bothered to face him when asking the question. _'Where the hell had this come from? Damn him, he's still catching me off guard. Why does he even care what I think, unless… of course, he's testing me, to see if I meet his intellectual standards.'_ Mello smiled to himself, he had an opportunity to make an inroad, and he was going to seize it.

Now to create an answer that would impress him.

'Because I believe that crime and disorder represent an antithesis to freedom. I think that to pursue freedom and hope we need to hold order in our society. If I didn't take criminology I'd be assisting the loss of freedom in our society, and I can't stand for that. As Malcom X put it 'Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice. If you're a man, you take it.'

' _Ha, how do you like that Near?'_ Mello thought triumphantly. ' _Intellectual enough for you, am I up to your standard?'_ Mello made a mental note to thank Neo later, she had used that quote so many times that eventually it had just stuck, and now it had proven useful. Of course what he'd just said wasn't what he actually believed, truth be told, he didn't know why he did criminology. But Near didn't know that, so this answer was as good as any.

'A fascinating concept.' Near said. 'Pity then, that you do not actually believe that.'

The smile fell of Mello's face very quickly. _'How that fuck had he known that? Damn him, he's practically in my head!'_ Mello glared down at the Near, watching the way he twirled a lock of hair around his finger, always calm and rational. Mello realised that his problem was he had no idea what Near considered to be the best answer, Mello had no way to gauge what impressed the small boy.

'Well why do you do the subject?' He asked Near, challenging him.

Near stopped twirling his lock of hair, if his theory was correct and Mello just wanted someone to understand him then this was an ideal opportunity to make progress. The issue was that Mello had just served him a lie so Near had no way to guess Mello's actual thoughts on the topic, how was he supposed to understand someone that constantly hid their true motives.

' _What was Mello's motive here?'_ Near thought. _'Why did he agree to be my partner, he had no reason to do so, what piece of the puzzle am I missing?'_ Near decided to give Mello the honest answer, and judge his reaction.

Near turned to face Mello and took in every piece of information his body exuded, from the emotions on his scarred face to the unspoken dialogue of his body, and those eyes. They were the a illustrious shade of caribbean blue, the way thoughts and feelings swam across them, it made them fascinating and beautiful. _'How much depth is there in those eyes?'_ Near wondered.

' _No, I am becoming subjective, I have to remember my goal, understanding Mello.'_

'I do criminology because crime is a game.' Near answered. 'It's a challenge between the criminal and the detective. I don't care about justice, I care about understanding and beating them. I want to understand what motivates a criminal.'

' _What the fuck kind of answer is that?'_ Mello thought to himself, then he realised _'Near doesn't just want an intellectual match, he wants to be beaten. That's got to be it!'_ Mello took a satisfied bite out of his chocolate, he had figured out what drove Near. He wanted to lose so he could learn from it. It all made such rational, logical sense.

Near looked at Mello, the way his answer had seemingly made him so content, to learn he had to see what would change this. Understanding Mello meant understanding all aspects of him. Near decided to add to his previous statement, to see how Mello reacted, to understand him, to put another piece into the puzzle.

'But most of all' Near said, catching Mello's attention. 'I don't like to lose.'

' _Damn it!'_ Mello thought. _'So he doesn't want to lose, I'm back to square one, fuck!'_ He fell let himself flop onto the couch, he had no idea what he was supposed to do or say.

Near made absolutely so sense.

…

L and Kiyomi sat in the music room, their collection of school books spread out over the table, working silently at their homework. The only other occupant of the room was Misa who was standing up the front of the room. Her ears were covered by headphones, which fed her voice through the microphone and back to her. In her hands was a long black electric guitar, adorned with an obnoxious amount of skulls, spider web's and other gothic iconography. In the corner, in spiky white writing was written 'Misa's Axe'.

She sung the lyrics to a generic punk song, letting the loud but soulful tune fill the room. Kiyomi tried her best to ignore Misa, never having been a fan of her musical taste but L listened. _'She has a remarkable voice'_ , he thought to himself.

'It was the roar of the crowd

That gave me heartache to sing.

It was they lie when they smiled

And said, "you won't feel a thing"

Misa sang these lyrics with gusto, her normally cute voice developing into something more tempered and bombastic when she sang. She rose and fell with each word, finding the emotion in each syllable and finishing each line with a quiet vibrato that provided a stark and beautiful contrast to the rest of her singing.

Kiyomi looked up at L, he'd stopped working completely, his normally fast moving hand that left a scrawl of indecipherable letters on his page was now tapping along to the tune. Light had told her of course, that L had a crush on Misa, she couldn't quite believe it though. It all seemed so out of character for him.

'Light told me.' Kiyomi said, grabbing L's attention. He raised a questioning eyebrow and she elaborated 'That you have a crush on Misa.'

L sighed, he couldn't believe that this was actually happening, _'Did you tell everyone Light?'_ L realised that this misunderstanding, despite the fact that the only supporting evidence was Lights assumption, was not going to disappear any time soon. What was worse; was that if Kiyomi knew then it was only a matter of time before this information spread to Mello, Neo, and Matt, and they'd never let him here the end of it.

L took comfort in the fact that at least Near wouldn't care about who L did or didn't like. That was one of the first things that had struck on him about the little albino, the way he was perfectly rational and logical. Near didn't care one way or the other about peoples personal lives and was always cool headed from what l could tell. _'It'd do Mello some good to spend more time with him'_ L thought wryly.

L's thoughts returned to the matter at hand, he doubted his saying he did not have a crush on Misa would dispel the rumour. Still he had to put in the effort, otherwise anything could happen.

'Kiyomi…' he began slowly. 'I don't…'

'You don't need to say it L, I understand.'

'You do?' L said sceptically.

'Of course I do.' Kiyomi replied. 'You're embarrassed! You don't want to admit that the infallible L actually has feelings.'

'Kiyomi that's not it at…'

'Don't worry. I understand, she's cute'

'No Kiyomi…'

'Don't worry.'

L sighed deeply and returned his gaze to his school work, this had not made the situation any better. _'I don't like Misa, how hard can that be for people to comprehend? Well People have always thought what they want to think I suppose, why should this be any different?'_ L listened to Misa's song, she had just broken into the final chorus, her voice rising to new heights.

'You're just a sad song with nothing to say

About a life ling wait for a hospital stay

And if you think I'm wrong,

This never meant nothing to ya.'

At all, at all, at all, at'

Misa finished the final notes with a quavering vibrato, she sounded so vulnerable, her voice trailing off into a calm whisper. _'She did have a brilliant voice.'_ L thought.

Kiyomi too shared this thought, _'her voice really is exquisite, I can see why the school let her in on the performing arts scholarship.'_ Misa took off the headphones and gave the two of them a wide smile.

'So? What'd you guys think?' She asked.

Kiyomi and L had both been dragged along because they were meant to give her feedback.

'It was quite nice.' L remarked.

Kiyomi gave him a sideways look, he'd barely even looked up to make that comment and he'd already buried himself back into his work _, 'he's embarrassed'_ Kiyomi thought, she'd never dreamed that she'd ever see L this vulnerable. Of course he looked like he was going about his work as he normally did, in fact there was no difference compared to how he normally acted, but Kiyomi could tell.

'That was excellent Misa.' Kiyomi said. 'Not at all my cup of tea, but excellent none the less.'

'Great!' Misa said with a smile.

She then placed the headphones back on, picked up her electric guitar and began her next song. She opened with a powerful guitar riff, playing it for almost 30 seconds before she broke into song. Her quavering voice was more gravely this time, as if she were dragging out the words rather than letting them flow. It was different, but still good, giving her a slightly more masculine strength.

'Alright!

I said the joker is a wanted man,

He makes his way all across the land,

See him sifting though the sand,

So I'll tell you all the story,

'Bout the joker and the thief of the night'

L and Kiyomi marvelled at this complete change in Misa's voice, it was still recognizably her, but she'd imbued it with a different kind of musical force. She replaced her tender vulnerability with a strength and power. It was a wonder that someone so small could contain such a duality within them, let alone express it as she did.

'L.' Kiyomi said, interrupting L's appraisal of Misa's performance. 'Seeing as we're on the topic of liking people, I have a question.'

L said nothing outwardly, but inwardly he let out a long groan, _'first Misa and now Kiyomi too?'_ Girls only ever talked to him about liking people if they were interested in Light. It was bad enough that one of his friends fancied him, but two was almost too much, and Misa and Kiyomi of all people.

'Yes?' L said, inviting her question.

'Does Light, you know, like anyone?'

'Platonically or…'

'You know what I mean L.'

'Yes I suppose I do.'

'So?'

L didn't know if he was going to be able to handle this, his approach to Lights romantic life was to keep himself as far away from it as possible. Yet it was always he L, and not Light, that females (and the occasional male) approached. The fact that it was Kiyomi and Misa just made the situation worse. L didn't think that either of them had any idea about the other, but if they found out it was going to be war. Kiyomi and Misa had always been competitive, Kiyomi threatened by Misa's natural talents, whilst Misa always had resented Kiyomi's brains. The situation was not going to end well.

'I don't know who Light likes.' L admitted truthfully.

'Do you think you could find out?' Kiyomi asked. 'You know slip him a subtle question or something.'

'Perhaps.' L said. 'Whenever I see him next.'

'Speaking of which, where is he?' Kiyomi asked.

'Doing his criminology assessment I imagine.'

'Yes but he'd be here doing it next to us, surely.'

'No, this assessment is done with partners.'

'Oh I'm sure he's loving that.' Kiyomi laughed. 'Who's his partner?'

'Adeline.'

'You mean that arrogant French girl?'

'Yes.'

'The one who is… ah… slightly larger?'

'Yes.'

'Who's known across the school for avoiding work?'

'Yes.'

'Light must be thrilled.'

'I assure you he's not.'

The two laughed at Lights predicament as Misa played the last notes of her song, ending the song on a powerful guitar chord.

'Hey guys, did you like it?'

L looked up at Misa and back over at Kiyomi _. 'Those two of all people?'_ L thought, asking a God that he knew didn't exist. _'And you spread that stupid rumour too? Do you just want to see me suffer?'_ L knew no one was listening, but still, he had to say it to someone, real or not.

…

Mello, Matt, Neo, and Near had woken up early on Saturday and begun the quick walk into the nearby town, where they were meant to be meeting their resident underground firework dealer, or as he was more commonly called, Joe. None of them seemed too happy about being up as early as they were, with bags nearly as big as L's under their eyes, and their tired silence only being punctuated by the occasional yawn.

Matt looked over at Mello, the leather-clad blonde looked miserable. He'd stormed into their dorm at nine last night and shouted loudly for a good ten minutes about how Near was 'ridiculous and impossible to work with' and how he was 'going to demand a new partner on Monday.' It had taken Matt a whole four minutes, rather than the usual two, to calm down Mello.

When he'd finally gotten Mello talking in complete, calm, articulate sentences it had become clear what the issue was. Near was not an open book. From the moment Mello had vowed he was going to 'figure out' the albino Matt knew something like this was going to happen. Near was far to introverted for Mello's usual tactics to work, and Matt figured that the little guy had his own agenda in the partnership, there was no way he'd volunteer to be with Mello out of sheer good will.

Matt thought back to the conversation he'd had with Mello last night whilst he ate his chocolate loudly.

'He's just so logical and shit, but every time I think I've got him pinned he just fucking surprises me all over again.' Mello had shouted.

'Yep.'

'I can't pick it!' Mello had continued. 'I think he's all cold and logical, but then he comes out of left field with something that doesn't fit the pattern at all, it's like he's testing me!'

'Maybe he is.'

'Like, I'm certain his 'in' is being an intellectual match for him, he's always so logical that it only makes rational sense.'

'Sure.'

'Are you even listening?'

'Mels, you're acting like Near is going to make perfect sense.'

'So fucking what?'

'All people do is contradict themselves Mel, we're all walking talking contradictions, in the way we act, in the way we feel.'

'You're getting awfully sentimental.'

'But it's true though, if you want to understand him Mel, you're gonna have to stop thinking Near will make sense. Look at Neo, all Neo does is scare people off when really she wants someone to force themselves into her life, but she's never gonna make that easy. It makes no sense, but it makes Neo herself.'

'I suppose you're right.'

'Just think about it.'

'Oh and Mel.'

'Yeah.'

'I know you're not good at it, but be patient. If you wait Near will probably give you and opening without you even having to work for it.'

Now, as they were walking, Mello despite his sullen attitude had a sort of resolve about himself. Matt could see it a glimmer in his eye, the tiniest twitch in the corner of his mouth, Mello was ready for another round. Matt smiled to himself, it was so unlike Mello to make a second go at anything, especially about someone he claimed to _'not like at fucking all'_. Yes, he was far to determined, and while Mello would never admit it, he certainly had a soft spot for the little guy.

Matt looked ahead at, their group had distanced itself slightly, Near and Neo taking the lead. The two had started conversing and now were embroiled in an earnest conversation about something, if Matt had to make a guess, he'd say literature or stupid people, they were Neo's favourite topics.

Near had one of Matt's big jackets thrown over his shoulders and it fell all the way down to his knees. Mello had insisted that if Near was coming into town with them that he had to wear something to hide 'those god awful pyjama's'. Matt gazed at the tiny Near, he'd really been exactly what Mello had needed, he'd not seen the blonde this enthused about anything for months. And now Mello was determined to figure the kid out, the two were good for each other whether they realised it or not.

Slowly thee four of them made their way into the town, and soon they were navigating their way through the winding streets. The town itself was small, maybe a thousand people lived there at the most. The town consisted of a small town centre and a few houses and farms that extended a few kilometres out in each directions, punctuating the forests and fields with the occasional presence of civilized life.

The town centre was made up of only twelve blocks, but the buildings were beautiful old creatures. They had been there for years, the owners of the town devoting much of their time into maintaining them. Now the buildings bore their age the way that the modern architecture at Wammy's screamed purpose and determination, the old town imbuing the heritage into every brick. The old buildings still had life in them, they had a power and determination that could not be sapped by the elements, and so long the people continued to believe in the strength of their town it would continue to stand.

While the other three might no see it, Neo certainly did. Everyone assumed that she hated everything, and this simply wasn't true. Neo hated 'everyone' not 'everything'. The town didn't try to tell her anything, it didn't have an agenda it was forcing onto her, it just was. To Neo, it was as good as the poetry she engulfed herself in, poetry had always spoken to her more than any other written word because the composers often didn't want to do more than admire the world, and Neo could cope with that.

'We're here.' She announced suddenly.

They stopped next to a battered trashcan, a shadowed alley in front of them, a pristine park over the road. They stood there for nearly a minute before they heard a cough. They turned, startled, to see a man down the alley with a large box.

'Folks.' He said with a wheezy cough.

'Joe.' Neo replied, ready to handle the transaction.

'Are you sure he's reputable?' Near whispered to Mello.

'Shut the fuck up Near.'

The 'transaction' took less than a minute, with Neo and Joe exchanging their goods. Neo handed him a few notes of cash, which added to a neat sum of $150, and in return she got a large box, with bright illustrations covering it. She also got a brown paper bag that contained an item that looked suspiciously like a bottle.

'What's in the bag?' Near asked.

'What do you think dip shit.' Mello replied.

'Booze.' Matt said more helpfully. 'Neo is a writer, and she writes best when she is completely drunk.'

'Really?'

'Hell yeah.'

Neo returned with both items and a large scowl on her face. Joe as it turned out, hadn't washed in three days. Not for any reason of necessity, just because that's how he was.

'Right, so do we have everything for tonight?' Mello asked. 'Fireworks?'

'Check.' Neo said.

'At least fifty feet of rope?'

'Check.' Matt said.

'A tea towel and hammer to break their window?'

'Check.' Near said.

'Walkie Talkies?'

'Check.' Neo said.

'Black clothes?'

Matt and Neo both confirmed that they did indeed posses black clothing, Near however did not posses any.

'Right, come on.' Mello said, dragging Near by the elbow.

'Where are we going?' Near asked.

'To get you black clothes sheep boy.' Mello said. 'And also a complete new wardrobe, what do you think Neo, is that ok?'

Neo nodded.

'What does Neo have to do with this?' Near asked.

'Her family is loaded.' Matt explained. 'She covers pretty much all our expenses cause Mello and me are broke and she's rolling in dough.'

'Right, come on.' Mello said.

They spent the rest of the morning doing a tour-de-force of every single boutique clothes outlet in the town, getting Near to try on every piece of clothing that they could find in his size. He tried on singlets, shorts, jeans, jumpers, shirts, and suits. Mello sat around judging every item Near put on, giving a thumbs up or down.

By the end of the day Near was in a complete daze, unsure what exactly had just happened to him, seeing as he'd never been clothes shopping before, and unsure what to do about all the new clothes he now owned.

While Near and Mello had been playing dress ups, Matt and Neo had been able to sneak in a quick conversation.

'So, what's your thoughts?' Matt asked, nodding at Mello and his unwilling model, who had had dressed in baggy jeans and grey shirt with white sleeves. Mello gave the clothes his approval and sent Near to change into the next outfit.

'Hmm.' Neo said in response.

'Go on.'

'I dunno, everything sucks, but I guess they don't suck so much.'

Matt grinned at this, when it came to Neo, that admission alone was pretty much her gilded tick of approval.

'They don't realise yet do they?' Neo asked.

'They don't have a clue.' Matt confirmed.

'How long should we give it?'

'Two weeks I reckon.'

'Ew, that's to soon, I need time to prepare emotionally before I interfere.'

'What should we do?'

'If they need a push? I dunno.'

'Yeah you do.'

'Ok, I have a few idea, we could lock them in a cupboard until the make out or something.'

'You're horrific.'

'Thank you.'

Eventually Mello finished picking a new wardrobe out for Near and the four of them walked back to Wammy's, now burdened with bags of new clothes. When they reached their room they quickly dumped Near's clothes in his room. Near changed into something 'more suitable' as Mello put it (a grey t-shirt with black cargo shorts) which Near looked thoroughly uncomfortable in, but Mello was delighted to see him 'in normal clothes'.

The four of them made their way over to Mello and Matt's room.

There the preparation began, they ran over the plan for the prank, they had exactly ten minutes to execute the entire thing. It was going to be tight, but they were confident they could do it. They were all buzzing with excitement, but Near more than any of them, he was ready to prove himself.

'Ok.' Matt said. 'Operation: Counter strike begins tonight at 23:00 hours.'

'Do we have to keep that stupid name?'

'Yes.'

'Well it fucking stupid.'

'Yes.'

They all laughed, it was a nervous but excited laugh.

The four of them were ready for some sweet revenge.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well who's keen for the revenge prank? Because it's going to be big. Also I couldn't resist the opportunity to have Mello pick out outfits for Near. Anyway, please leave a review if you are so inclined, and stay tuned for the next chapter!_

 _Note: The songs Misa sings are 'Disenchanted' by My Chemical Romance and 'Joker and the Thief'by Wolfmother. Her voice is meant to sound like a slightly higher version of Florence Welsh's when she sings without back up. I thought I'd let you guys know, in case anyone was curious._


	8. Memories: An Unwanted Child

_A/N: Yes indeed, a double upload! This first new chapter should be viewed as a vignette of sorts, you'll understand once you've read it. Anyway, enjoy!_

 _Dislcaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

 _Natalie clutched the glass in her hand, tilting it softly from side to side, watching the amber fluid sway and swell within. She paused, letting the restless liquid settle back into a tranquil state and then drank the whole glass with a single swallow. It burnt her throat on the way down in a way she was used too, igniting a fiery pain within._

 _She was used to pain, she'd had no shortage of it in recent years, in fact she craved it, she needed the pain. Every time she drank the liquid, every time it made her want to sputter and cough, every time it sang stinging songs on her lips it reminded her that she was alive._

 _Natalie poured herself another glass, draining the bottle. She tossed the empty thing aside, useless now. The first drink she had smelt, taking in the aroma and the way it shone beautifully, now she just liked to tip the glass, making the water sway from side to side but never escaping._

 _It made her feel powerful._

' _Mama, you shouldn't drink this much.' A timid little voice said._

 _Natalie turned to face her son; he held the empty bottle in his hand, worry and disappointment written in his deep grey eyes._

 _His eyes._

' _It doesn't matter.' Natalie slurred._

 _The boy moved to stand in front of her, twirling a lock of his snowy white hair around his finger. He was very calm and collected, demanding her attention despite his tiny size. It wasn't the demand of a small child either; it was the demand of someone who was concerned._

' _It does matter mama.' He said. 'You shouldn't be drinking this much.'_

' _And what would you know?' She spat._

' _It makes you angry.'_

' _No.' She said. 'You make me angry, now get out of my sight!'_

 _The boy stepped back in shock, any other six year old child would have had tears welling up in there eyes by now, but not him. His eyes were dry, his face unmoved. He simply nodded slowly and left the room with slow defeated steps._

 _Natalie slumped back into the chair, closing her eyes letting the exhaustion take over._

…

 _The little boy sat in his room all alone, watching the orange sun descend over the horizon, casting a final glow over the neighbourhood. The world was little up in a brilliant amber sunlight, the same amber shade as the drink that his mother couldn't stop having._

 _He hopped down from the window and began playing with his numerous toys. She always bought him so many, as if she were trying to hide him away behind them all, building up a wall. He picked up a toy robot and placed it directly in front of himself and began to mutter to it._

' _Mama has been drinking the drink again, it makes her so angry.'_

 _He placed another robot next to the first._

' _The other mothers say they love their children, does mother love me?'_

 _He moved one of the robots away from the other, his hand beginning to shake._

' _Why does she keep drinking that drink, why won't she…'_

 _He trailed off, devolving into tears, he never let anyone else see him cry, he didn't want to seem weak, couldn't afford to be weak, nobody was going to be there to hug him, nobody was going to care. The other children would laugh and mock and he'd only cry more._

 _He couldn't afford to be weak._

 _The boy climbed up onto his bed, having no need to get changed because he always wore white pyjamas. He curled up, pulling the covers around him, making a burrow, a nest where he could cry as much as he wanted. He was safe to cry alone here, mother was downstairs and probably asleep and there wasn't anyone else who would come and check._

 _He pulled a little tighter, letting the tears flow freely until he fell asleep._

…

 _Natalie had awoken with an awful headache, she'd drunk far to much and now every movement made her feel nauseous and dizzy, an uneasy tide in her head. She took the steps slowly, ensuring that she the sick feeling had subsided enough before she took the next stair._

 _She reached the top and moved toward her room, peering into her sons room to make sure he was asleep. He was curled up in bed, his white hair and clothes blending with white bedspread so that it looked as if he were buried under snow._

' _Nate.' She said slowly. 'My son.'_

 _She'd named the boy after herself but everything about Nate looked like him. She'd never wanted to think about the man who'd burdened her with this child and then ran for the hills but every time she looked at Nate he was the only person she could see._

 _Nate had his eyes, his hair, his nose, the way he walked and talked, just like a smaller version of him. It was like he'd cursed her, forcing her to looked at her heartbreak every time she looked at her own son._

 _And the worst part, Nate had her name._

 _Natalie had wanted to be a good mother; she'd wanted a child for so long. Nate was supposed to be her chance to redeem herself, to repair so much damage and so many mistakes._

 _She wanted to love him._

 _But when she saw her son, saw that he had his eyes, she felt every bit of love drain from her. She couldn't muster the strength to love Nate when she was so distracted hating the man who'd left him with her._

' _I hate you.' She whispered softly, taking a step into Nate's room._

 _She could end it right here, she could take a pillow and suffocate him, forcing the breath of life to exit his body, finish what she had started. She could do it. She took another step toward Nate._

' _I hate you, damn you, I hate you.'_

 _She loomed over him, a bolt of lightening parted the sky, illuminating his pale face. He was so serene, so calm, he didn't understand every emotion that was raging within her like the storm that was about to start outside._

' _Damn you, I hate you!' She screamed loudly._

 _Nates eyes shot open, terrified, a boom came from outside, the echo of her voice mixing with the rolling thunder. Natalie stepped backwards, tears filling hr eyes, she couldn't even love her own child, she wanted to so badly but she couldn't, she just couldn't._

 _The little albino shot up and out of bed, his grey eyes growing ever wider. He ran past his mother, turning away from her so she couldn't see the tears. She reached for his hand but he jerked it away as if it were burning hot, pulling away instinctively._

' _I'm so sorry.' She cried, tears pouring from her face as the rain began to pour outside._

 _She knew she'd done wrong, she knew she had to fix it, to hug him and hold him tight. But she couldn't pretend. Not now, it all hurt so much. Six years of constant stinging had come with that boy, every time she'd held him and pretended she felt it. She just wanted to be able to love him, to say his name, their name, with pride. But it just stung so much._

 _Nate didn't stop, he didn't look back, he just ran. He ran from the house into the cold downpour, thunder and lightning filling the sky, making the shaking boy feel as small and worthless as he felt._

 _He wouldn't return home for another three days._

 _When he did return, he only spoke to Natalie using the cold term 'mother', a voice laced with a hollow feeling of betrayal._

 _Years later, when she had finally started to heal old wounds; he would still only call her that. When she finally felt she could love him, hold him, be the mother she wanted to be, the mother he deserved, he pushed her away with that single cold word._

* * *

 _A/N: So there you have it, a small flash back into the past of Near! The next chapter is the actual continuation of the story, i just felt like I should add this in. I'm planning on doing more of these for some of the main characters, so please tell me what you thoughts and enjoy the next offical chapter!_


	9. Chapter 7: Operation: Counter Strike

_A/N: Well here's the new chapter, strap yourselves in cause its gonna be a wild ride._

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note_

* * *

A shiver ran down Nears spine, it wasn't a shiver due to cold, in fact he was quite warm, wearing a long sleeved black shirt, black jeans and a black beanie that covered his hair. Matt had claimed that he looked adorable in the outfit, and had gotten Neo and even Mello to concede the fact that Near did look very cute. Apparently he looked, in Matt's own words, _'like an adorable tiny child criminal'_ , which in many senses was true.

Near listed the crimes that they were about to commit in his head: breaking and entering, property damage, vandalism, and theft if Mello saw something he liked. Near then reconsidered this list, adding potential arson if something went wrong, assault if something went really wrong, and manslaughter if something went horrifically wrong.

No the shiver was not due to cold.

Rather it was due to the combination of dread and complete excitement, both of which were wrestling for control of his actions at any one time.

Near crouched in the bushes outside the dorm building with Mello, Neo, and Matt, all of whom were dressed in identical black attire. Around their left wrists were watches, which they had all synchronised. Near had been in slight disbelief when Matt had suggested this, thinking that watch synchronisation was something only done in movies, but the others had assured him it was necessary. Around their right wrists were strapped portable walkie-talkies that operated on a motion sensor, so all you had to do was hold it close to your mouth and it would activate. Near guessed that it was Neo who had paid for these, as these items seemed well out of Matt or Mellos pathetic price range.

While Near sat watching the other three busied themselves with prank preparations. Mello was ensuring that the box full of fireworks wouldn't come open at an inopportune time, and checked that the hammer and tea towel were safely held by his belt. Neo had a lengthy piece of rope, she was tying a knot at one end which she secured with an adjustable knot. Matt sat with a laptop open and was typing away rapidly, his face illuminated by the bright light.

'Ok, I'm ready.' Matt whispered.

Near looked at his watch, it read 10:59, only a minute to go until Operation: Counter Strike began.

'Does everyone have know their codenames?' Matt asked.

'Do we have to use codenames?' Mello asked bitterly.

'Course we do, look I'll start, mine is Falcon, Neo?'

'I'm Sparrow.'

'Near?'

'Dove.' Near whispered.

'Mello?' Matt said with a big grin.

'Fine, mine is Raven.'

'Very good.' Matt said, patting Mello on the head.

'Ten seconds.' Neo said.

'I'm sending the email now…' Matt said, hitting the enter key. 'Sent.'

The four turned back and looked at the target window, this was what the whole plan hinged on. L had to be awake and on his computer, Mello had said that L should be awake, but if he wasn't then the entire plan fell apart right now. They stared at the window, willing for something, anything, just a sign of movement.

They let out a collective breath as a light suddenly flicked on, yellow light spilling out the window and illuminating the great Oak tree that sat in front of their room. The light made the autumn trees glow; their dying leaves letting the light ooze through their thin forms so they appeared like honey.

A few seconds passed, nothing. Near began to count slowly, he reached ten, then twenty, then thirty seconds, still no movement aside from the ambient leaves fluttering in the wind. Then the unmistakable silhouettes of L and Light bolted past the window, and presumably, out their door, the light flicking off again.

'Operation: Counter Strike is a go!' Matt said, a gleeful smile on his face. He was enjoying it perhaps a bit too much.

The four of them sprang into action at once, each moving to their planned locations.

Neo grabbed one end of the rope, walking backwards with it slowly, watching it, waiting for it to go taught. Mello took the other end and sprinted for the oak, climbing its tall form with dexterity until he reached the topmost branch and threw the rope over.

If Matt's email had been step one, then Mello's action with the rope was step two. Light and L's dorm window was just out of reach of the oak, Neo knew because she'd tried to break into the room before. However there was an overhanging branch one story further up and it reached the extra distance. It had been Near's idea actually, because they couldn't climb the walls or use the oak they had to come up with another way of getting up there. By throwing the rope over they had just created a very rudimentary elevator.

Neo's whisper cut through the silence, 'Sparrow is in position.'

Near had run under the tree, carrying the large box of fireworks with him. He stopped and waited underneath the overhanging branch, watching Mello scramble back down the old oak.

'Dove is in position.' He said into his walkie-talkie.

Matt had run to the corner of the building and peered around. The campus was lit only with the occasional lamp, distances of up to fifty feet between one lamp and the next. He stared at each of the small islands of light in the inky ocean around them, waiting for L and Light to run through one of them. _'Where were they?'_

Movement caught his eye, he turned saw what he was looking for, the figures of Light and L bolted through one of the illuminated patches. Their outfits gave him pause, he had to restrain a laugh, L was dressed in his normal white shirt but instead of jeans he wore boxers. Light was even worse, he was dressed in nothing but a pair of very tight red briefs, _'I hope a teacher spots him'_ Matt thought with a Machiavellian grin.

'The Eagles are out of the nest.' Matt said in his walkie talkie.

He began his run over to where Neo was standing, the rope gripped tightly in her hands. Things were going perfectly.

Mello's static laden voice cut in. 'If we pull this off Matt I'm gonna slap you.'

'Why?'

'These fucking codes are fucking dumb.'

'Just finish climbing your tree.'

'Yeah, fuck you too.'

Matt reached Neo, and grabbed the rope, gripping it tightly. _'Mello was nervous, that much was clear. I wonder how Near's going, it's his first ever prank.'_ He looked over to where the little albino should be standing, Matt stopped him. They'd managed to cover up his white hair so he was a lot more inconspicuous then he would have been. But the moon was out tonight, and even though it was only a sliver in the sky it was still enough to make Near's pale skin glow brightly.

'Falcon is in position.' Matt said.

A figure sprinted over to where Near was standing, he guessed that was Mello. The blondes voice came over the walkie talkie a moment later to confirm this.

'Raven or whatever the fuck I am, in position.'

'Strapped in?' Neo asked.

'Yes.'

'Mel, that's not the code.' Matt said.

'Ready for fucking take off.'

'Thank you.'

As one Matt and Neo began to pull at the rope, elevating Mello off the ground. Mello clung onto the rope, his only safety here was the small loop that he had his foot stuck in. He was raised up quickly, Matt and Neo must have been pulling hard, until he reached the window

'I'm here.' He whispered.

'Confirmed.' Matt whispered back and the rope stopped rising.

Mello placed on the small ledge that was formed by the window-sill to work as a balance. He then leant forward, pushing his foot that was in the loop out backwards to counter for the shift in weight, stretching his leg as far back as he could. He looked like a runner at the starting block, only there was no track but rather a two story drop back to the ground.

Mello pulled the tea towel out from his belt and used it to cover the whole window, when he hit it with the hammer it wall ensure the shards all fell into the dorm rather than out onto him. Mello used one hand to hold the top of the tea towel, using his boot to hold the bottom. He pulled the hammer out of his belt and readied himself…

Three.

Two.

One.

The hammer hit the glass with a loud crack, causing a spiders web of fissures to spread across the window. Mello slammed the hammer into the glass again and it shattered loudly, the shards spilling into the room and across the floor.

He pulled away the tea towel, only a few pieces of glass remained in the frame. He used the hammer to break them off, each making a small cracking noise as they were dislocated from the wooden frame. Mello clambered into the room quickly, then looked back out and down at Near.

'I'm in, send Near up.'

'You mean send Dove up.'

'Whatever Matt.'

Matt and Neo quickly lowered the rope back down until Near's soft interrupted them.

'Its here.'

Near worked at the adjustable knot, Mello had tightened it with all of the strain he'd put it under, but Near was able to loosen it, his small fingers making easy work of the knot. He then jammed the box of fireworks into the loop and tightened it again. The albino then stood on top of the box which was now tightly held by the rope, putting one foot on either side of the box so that it would remain balanced and not fall out as it was lifted up.

'Ok.' Near said into his walkie-talkie. 'Send me up.'

Matt and Neo began to pull once more, elevating Near and the box off the ground sending them up to the window.

Mello looked out over the window at Near who was rising toward him. Near stared up at Mello, his big grey eyes focusing on the blonde. The albinos skin glowed beautifully in the moonlight, giving it a sheen like marble. The small hollows in Near's thin cheeks were covered in shadow, making his face look slightly slimmer than usual, only accentuating the size of his eyes. _'He looks amazing.'_ Mello thought to himself. _'Not now, we're in the middle of something, besides its only Near.'_

Near reached the empty frame and jumped into the room, leaping through the space once occupied by the glass with ease, as if he made jumps off of boxes and though windows every day. He landed on his feet, glass crunching beneath the big boots they'd bought for him in town. Mello was impressed but had other things to focus on, he leant out the window and grabbed the fireworks, pulling them out off the loop and into the room.

'Impressive acrobatics Near.' He said, giving the albino a nervous grin.

'Not sheep boy?' Near asked, equally nervous.

Mello hadn't even realised he'd called Near by his name, it was the first time he'd said it naturally. _'Why the hell did I… No time to for it, focus on the prank.'_

'Come on.' Mello said, opening the box. 'We need to get started.'

Down on the ground, Matt and Neo turned to face each other. When Mello had spoken his right arm had been close to his mouth, his walkie-talkie had been on and neither he nor Near had noticed. This had meant that the other two had heard the last exchange word for word.

'Did Mello just call Near…' Matt said in shock.

Neo nodded back at the red head.

…

L and Light ran as fast as they could across the school grounds, they had a long distance to cover.

Light had been asleep when L had gotten the mysterious email. It had been from a weird contact called 'MailJeevasthesexlord69', the message had just been a random jumble of letters. L had been about to delete it, thinking it was spam, but remembered that Mail was Matt's real name, and Matt was just the nickname Neo had given him because she thought the name suited him better.

All of a sudden, the mysterious message had become a lot more important, after all there was a revenge prank in the works and this could be related.

And indeed it was.

It had taken L a grand total of fifteen seconds to decode the message, you just ignored every second vowel, moved the third consonant back three places, the fifth forward two, and you swapped the first and last letter of every set of words, it was simple stuff really.

Within five seconds L had Light awake and reading the message.

Another five and they were out the door running.

The message had read as follows:

Light and L. You hit us with a glitter bomb and now we hit back. Be at the car park in five minutes for the show. We always thought that pink would look nice on your car.

Of all of Lights possessions, his most precious was his car. He cherished it, he spoke to it, he washed it weekly, L was sure that if he could, Light would have kept it in their room. And now it seemed those four were going to vandalise it.

Light had been running at a solid sprint for nearly two minutes now and the incredibly unfit L was struggling to keep up. L looked at Light, he doubted the brunette even realised he'd run out of the dorm in nought but his underwear, his focus was solely on saving his car.

Then it struck L, he didn't have any pants on either. While nothing in comparison to Lights near nudity, L was still embarrassed. His pale skin was naturally alabaster, but it looked positively tanned in comparison to skin that didn't get any sunlight. His currently bare legs, which were normally covered by jeans, were a white close to that of Near's hair. But the worst part of this situation wasn't his terrible tan line, but rather the pattern of his boxers. They were black but had large pink teddies holding giant hearts all over them. L really hoped that no one would see them.

After another minute and a half of running L reached the car. Light had long since outrun him, his sprint carrying him off into the night.

The car looked fine, nobody but Light was around, there was not a drop of paint on its silver bodywork. Light sat next to it puffing hard, once he'd reached the car and seen it was fine he'd collapsed in exhaustion. He was relieved to say the least, but also confused.

L doubled over, trying to catch his breath and then he noticed it, stuck under the windshield wiper was a piece of paper.

'Light, look.' He said, pulling the piece of paper out.

On it was written:

'Ok, so we lied about the paint, that was wrong of us. But what's about to happen to your dorm is no joke.

Ps. Check the boot of the car.'

Light quickly popped open the boot and inside were two bright red fire extinguishers, and on them was a note that said 'Sorry if you have to use these, it's not the plan.'

'What are they going to do to our dorm.' L asked.

'I don't know.' Light said, picking out one of the fire extinguishers. 'But I don't want to find out. Come on L.'

L sighed, grabbed a fire extinguisher and began chasing after his friend.

…

Mello had been working quickly with the fireworks, setting them up and preparing the fuse so he and Near had enough time to scramble back down the rope outside. Near had been rushing around the room, removing everything flammable and throwing into the bathroom, school books, bed sheets, cooking paper, clothing, all of it.

'Two minutes guys.' Matt chimed in over the walkie-talkie.

'Ok, nearly done.' Mello said back.

Near had just finished moving the last of Lights ridiculous amount of books into the bathroom when he noticed it, the front door had been open the entire time, L and Light must have forgotten to shut it on their way out. Near ran to the door to close it, when he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

He looked out quickly and saw who was making the noise. It was Misa with her hair loose rather than tied up and dressed in a short black nightie. She was rubbing her eyes, so she hadn't seen him, but there was only one door she would be going towards, the one that Near was currently sticking his head out of. Near couldn't close it, because then she'd know someone was in here and try to get in. He judged how far away she was, her walking pace, and calculated how long he had before she reached the door, saw it was open, knock and then walk in.

He had less than twenty seconds.

He sprinted back over to Mello, who had just finished preparing the last fuse. Near placed a hand over Mello's mouth and whispered to him quickly before he could protest.

'Misa is coming down the hall, we need to hide, nod if you understand.'

Mello's eyes went wide with worry and he nodded quickly. Near released him and he picked out the fireworks and ducked behind the couch. Near went to follow him, whispering into his walkie-talkie.

'Did you hear that?'

'Yes.' Matt said. 'We won't contact you.'

The line went dead and Near crouched behind the couch, next to Mello. The two tried to keep their breathing quiet, Misa would be at the door any second, and if they were totally silent then she might knock twice before walking in. It didn't seem like a lot, and truth be told it wasn't, but every second counted. If she caught them the prank was ruined.

A loud set of knocks echoed around the room, Misa was at the door.

'Hmm, why's this open?' She said.

' _I have ten seconds at the most'_ Near thought to himself _'What are my options?'_ He looked that their resources, a hammer, fireworks, a tea towel, walkie talkies, and watches. _'Not much. What will Misa's actions be?'_ Near pictured it, she'd push the door open slowly, cautiously, and the first place she'd look would be the bed. She would see its empty then she'd begin to search the rest of the room and she would see the shards of glass on the floor.

A second set of knocks echoed around the room.

'Light, L, are you in there?' Misa asked.

' _Once she sees the glass then what?'_ Mello thought to himself quickly. _'What can we do to stop her?'_ He looked at Near, he could tell that they were both running through the same scenario silently. _'We could knock her out! With what? Damn!'_ Mello felt the tension building; they had practically nothing to work with and only seconds left. _'We could, use the fireworks on her! No that would kill her. Fuck all these small details!'_

'Ok guys I'm coming in.' Misa called.

Mello and Near looked at each other, they were out of time and out of options, Misa was about to come through that door and they would be found out, their brilliant plan foiled by Misa's ignorant interloping.

The door began to creak open, the two boys held their breaths.

A sudden smash echoed from down the hall, the sound of china being fragmented loudly. Misa let out a 'huh' and stopped opening the door, her footsteps began to move down the hall, and away from the door.

Mello didn't waste a moment; he leapt over the couch and sprinted silently to the door, forcing it shut and turning the lock with a loud 'click.'

He and Near both breathed a long sigh of relief, they stopped for a moment to take in how lucky they'd been. Their moment of silence was interrupted by Neo's voice coming from their walkie-talkies.

'You two nerds owe me big time.' She said.

'What did you do?' Mello asked.

'I ran up to the hall, grabbed one of the ugly pots that they keep the plants in and threw it against the wall.'

'I never thought I'd actually be grateful for your destructiveness.' Mello said.

'Yeah, you can make me your God later, finish up in there and get out.'

Mello ran back over to the fireworks, stood them back up and pulled out a lighter. While he was doing this Near did one last check of the room and ran over to the bathroom and pulled the door shut, separating the flammable objects from the firestorm they were about to create. Mello lit the fuses and flames began to race up them toward the gunpowder. Mello had given them thirty seconds, which should give them enough time to get out. He raced for the window, and when he was half out turned around and yelled:

'Come on Near!'

Near saw the fuse on the fireworks burning quickly, getting shorter by the second. He bolted for the window and climbed himself out, grabbing a hold of the rope. He looked at the fuse, it was almost done, he began to scurry back down the rope. He had only just lowered himself below the window when the fireworks went off.

They were like a thunderstorm, screaming booming, spraying bright sparks around the room and out the window, illuminating the quite night. They exploding loudly, causing the entire building to shake violently.

Mello, who had just reached the bottom of the rope hit the dirt, covering his head. He laid there for a few seconds and then turned and saw Near was still dangling from the rope. The albino was just stuck there, frozen, _'why wasn't he coming down?'_

Another explosion rang out, bright pink light flashing in the window. As the fireworks boomed Mello saw it, Near had pulled himself slightly tighter when the firework had gone off. Near wasn't just stuck up there, he was shaking, terrified. _'Of what?'_ Mello thought to himself.

It didn't matter, teachers were about to coming running over, they had under two minutes to be long gone and Near wasn't moving, he was stuck up there. Mello ran under rope, directly beneath Near, and said into his walkie talkie:

'Near, damn you, what the fuck are you doing?'

Near didn't say anything, he didn't move at all. He just hung up there, shaking.

'Near you need to move, come on.' Mello said more calmly, anger wasn't going to help here, he had to be gentle.

Near shook his head wildly, the beanie coming off and floating to the ground, his white locks of hair revealed. _'What is the issue?'_ Mello thought angrily. _'Why wont you move?_ ' With his hair revealed, Near shone like a beacon in the moonlight, people would be able to see him from a hundred feet off.

'Ok.' Mello said very calmly, another firework went off echoing around like a crack of thunder. Near tensed again with terror. 'Near listen to me, you can't stay up there, so what I need you to do is let go, I'm right below you, I'll catch you, just let go.'

Near didn't move at all, another firework went off.

'Near, trust me.'

Near slowly gave a single, definitive nod, and Mello stretched out his arms, ready to catch him. Near let go of his grip on the rope and dropped quickly. Mello shifted his balanced, turning slightly, and caught Near in his outstretched arms. He held Near like a parent does when they're transporting their sleeping child from the car to into the house. One arm was under Near's knees and the other behind his back. Mello felt how much Near was shaking, how terrified the small boy was, he wondered he'd reacted to the fireworks like this.

But Mello knew this wasn't the time to wonder, he had to run and so run he did. He carried Near around the corner and hundreds of feet to the small woods behind the English classrooms, where they had decided to meet.

The entire time Mello held Near close. He had no idea why the fireworks had scarred him and right now he didn't care. He just held Near tight, trying to make him feel safe.

Slowly, as Mello ran, Near stopped shaking.

…

Light and L had been one floor down when the fireworks went off. They'd run all the way back, carting the heavy fire extinguishers with them, they didn't know what the revenge prank was but if those four recommended having fire extinguishers handy then it had to be bad.

They were climbing the steps, L puffing and exhausted unlike Light who hadn't broken a sweat, being the model of good health that he was. As they ascended they were met by a familiar, but unexpected face. Misa. L groaned, the situation couldn't get much worse. Misa was standing there, they were here, in their underwear.

'Guy, I was just at your room and the door was open and OH MY GOD WHERE ARE YOUR CLOTHES?!'

L went red and moved the fire extinguisher to hide his pale legs and boxers. Light was seemingly unphased that they had run into Misa and he was in nothing but tight red briefs. He instead ran up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

'Misa, was there anyone in our room?'

Misa was still shocked at having found her two friends as underdressed as they were. Her face went a red nearly as bright as Lights underwear.

'I… um… I… ugh…'

'Misa, did you see anyone?'

'I um…'

Then the entire building was rocked by a sudden explosion that, to the three of them, sounded an awful lot like a firework. They ran back up the stairs, and saw that their dorm door had been blown off it's hinges, and was now on the floor across the hall. Another explosion rang out, booming loudly and causing the floor to shake again, and their dorm was lit up by a bright flash of green.

They ran back down the stairs. L groaned inwardly, _'First the email, then I have no pants on, and now fireworks?' How could this night get any worse?'_

An answer to that question presented itself in the form of students, who opened their doors and entered the hall when the fireworks finished. The fireworks had woken up everyone in the building and they were all converging on L and Lights dorm, the origin of what had sounded like, but surely couldn't have been, fireworks.

And the worst part, L had no pants on.

He shamefully scrabbled towards their room the moment the fireworks stopped, rushing to get inside as quickly as possible. He tried to cover himself and get into the room before other students saw him, but the hallway already had a dozen tired but curious students in it, and more were coming out. L blushed even harder and rushed into the dorm.

Considering that nearly twenty fireworks had gone off their dorm the damage was actually quite minimal. There was a small spot fire in one corner, the walls were blackened and covered in dents and holes, the cupboards and all their dishes were destroyed, and the bunk bed had collapsed. But despite all this the fridge had survived and so had all their belongings, which had been stashed in the bathroom.

After putting out the fire L quickly found a pair of jeans and put them on as quickly as possible, not even noticing that he'd put them on back to front.

Rumours had already begun to spread, the gossip hungry students consuming the stories the stories and spreading them like cancer. _'L and Light got pranked!', 'I heard their room was set on fire!', 'I heard a bomb was set off in it.' 'Don't be stupid Dave.' Piss of Steve.' 'Were L and Light in the room when it happened?' 'No they were outside.' 'I heard that they were both naked.' 'I heard they'd been screwing.'_

L collapsed on their blackened couch just as Light finally made it into their room. The crowd outside had swarmed around and he'd had to push to get past everyone, being accosted by at least a dozen people on the way, he was sure.

Misa followed him and pushed her way into the room, she went to shut the door but then remembered it was currently on the other side of the hall. She turned to look at her two shocked friends. L had found some jeans and now had his laptop out, having returned back to his regular evening routine, ignoring the destruction around him. Light, still not dressed, just looked around their dorm, not saying anything. He was tired but glad it was the dorm, and not his car, that had taken the damage. Misa watched Light, whose back was turned, she looked over his nearly naked body. Her gaze lingered on every aspect of his muscular form and perhaps a little to much on one muscle in particular…

'What the hell happened here?' A voice shouted suddenly.

The three turned and saw Roger, who happened to be head of discipline, as well as several other teachers in the doorway. The students were already starting to dispel, nobody wanted to be near Roger.

'Well…' Light began.

'Was is Mello, Matt, and Neo?' Roger asked before Light could talk, thinking back their antics the year before.

'No,' Light said.

'No?' Roger asked, shocked.

Light knew the rule; they'd established it last year, if you ratted on anyone then the others could do whatever they wanted to make your life hell. Neo especially was terrifying, she'd threatened to skin anyone who ratted and Light knew she was serious.

'No.' Light confirmed. 'We got an email which led us to believe someone was vandalising my car so L and I ran to stop them, then as we returned the fireworks went off. The email must have been a diversion.'

'And you're sure it wasn't those three?' Roger asked sceptically.

'Certain.' L said, turning his laptop around with the email open. 'See it has Matt's name on it, clearly they're trying to frame them, nobody could actually be stupid enough to use their name on an email related to a prank they're about to execute.'

Roger sighed, L was right of course, it made perfect sense.

'So do you have any idea who might have done this?' He asked.

'None at all.' L said.

'Hmm. Well in that case I'll look into this tomorrow, but for now we have nothing to go on. Will you two be ok for the night?'

'We'll just sleep on the couches sir.' Light said.

'Very good.' Roger said. 'In that case, goodnight. Oh, and Mr Yagami, perhaps some clothes?'

Light murmured something incoherent and quickly found some clothes to put on.

L leant back onto the couch, exhausted but impressed, _'It was quite a revenge prank those four had just pulled'_.

…

Neo and Matt had been waiting for Mello and Near, watching the commotion from forest behind the English classrooms. People from all around the school had started to converge on the sophomore dorms within minutes of the fireworks starting. Teachers, dressed in white night gowns and their hair still messy, led the charge.

They'd cheered at the first firework, and started dancing wildly, but they stopped when they heard Mello's voice over the radio. At first they thought it was an issue with the rope, Matt had tied it around the oak so he and Neo could get out before the fireworks went off, but they soon realised it was something else entirely that was the problem, What Mello had said to Near earlier had shocked them, but what he'd said this time blew that out of the water completely. They'd overheard every word, the way Mello had suddenly calmed down, and the way he promised to catch Near.

Matt and Neo had been stunned, was this the same Mello that they knew? It was so unlike him, he'd never promised anything, and he was never ever calm. They'd both agreed to say nothing, pretend they'd heard nothing, and then Mello had come running over with Near clutched in his arms and they'd gotten shocked all over again.

Mello stopped next to them and deposited Near onto the ground. Matt pretended to be shocked.

'What took you so long?' He asked.

'Fucking sheep boy here froze climbing down the rope!'

' _Sheep boy again'_ Matt thought, _'So Mello was still trying to pretend something wasn't going on.'_ Matt found it so pathetic and so typically Mello, he didn't want to seem weak toward anyone and especially, Matt guessed, toward Near.

Neo and Matt both gave over the top expressions of shock, if Mello hadn't been so distracted or Near so dazed they would've noticed, their attempts at acting were so comically bad.

'I am totally unsure how to handle the information.' Neo said in an attempt at sincerity that came off more sarcastic than usual. 'I am so surprised.'

Near picked himself up slowly, brushed his hair out of his face, and began to walk slowly back to his room.

'Hold the fuck up sheep boy.' Mello said. 'You're going to explain what happened.'

'I'm fine.' Near said.

'That wasn't my question.' Mello said. 'What the fuck happened!'

'I don't want to talk about it.'

'Well that's not good enough!'

'Jesus Mel.' Matt said. 'Give the poor kid a break.'

Mello went quiet and watched as Near turned and began to walk back to his room, his head hung low. Neo ran and joined him, asking him if he was ok and generally making her best attempt at a comfort the albion. _'Why did Near freeze back up there? Why did the fireworks scare him like that?'_ Mello thought about this, calming himself, getting out a block of chocolate and beginning to eat it with loud snapping bites. Slowly he thought about the situation more rationally, _'Until now Near was always poker face, I could never tell what he was feeling, but tonight he was vulnerable. I reckon that fear is connected to some trauma, and I'm gonna find out how.'_

Mello smiled to himself as he and Matt walked back to their room.

He had an 'in' with Near.

* * *

 **To Be Continued**

 _A/N: So what did you guys think? I hope you enjoyed it cause I had a lot of run writing it. Leave a review if you so desire._

 _Note: I'm pretty sure you guys are smart enough to figure this out but just in case anyone thinks that setting off fireworks inside is a good idea, don't, its not._


	10. Chapter 8: Words and Truth

_A/N: Here we go, enjoy folks!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

 **PART TWO**

 _Non ignara mali miseries succurrere disco_

No Stranger to trouble myself, I am learning to care for the unhappy.

-Virgil, _Aeneid_ , Book 1

* * *

Despite the chaos and destruction of the evening before, Sunday began as it normally did, with a group trip to Beyond Breakfast Coffee Shop.

Now the eight sat around their table, laughing and retelling the stories from the night before for Kiyomi, who had missed out on the whole thing. Matt eagerly explained every aspect of their plan, explaining how they got into the room, the fireworks, Neo's distraction, everything. The red-head made great sweeping gestures, vigorously re-enacting his own parts, generally telling an exciting tale. Matt was however a little flexible with the truth, often adding additional theatrics to the story, Mello and Neo were quick to correct him.

Mello was sitting in his usual spot in one of the couch corners as Matt mimicked tying the rope around the tree and running, nearly hitting his beverage off the table for the umpteenth time. Kiyomi, who was next to him, decided that perhaps it was better if the cup was out of reach of Matt and his wild acting and relocated it in between gestures. Mello cracked a little smile; everyone was in good spirits today, despite the antics of the night before, even L and Light who had to have all their furniture replaced.

Although he wouldn't say it, Mello was also grateful to Matt. The red head was doing their epic prank justice, telling the tale with passion and vigour. However, Matt had also made one omission from the story, he'd made no mention of Mello catching Near and carrying him.

When Mello had realised this wasn't going to be mentioned he had breathed a sigh of relief. On the one hand he didn't want people thinking that he was soft, or even worse, had feelings for Near, he'd never here the end of it. Besides Near wasn't completely cleared in Mello's books, _'Sure he masterminded the Prank, but he almost blew it last night too.'_ Mello starred down the table, to where Near was sitting in an armchair, a cup of hot chocolate clutched in his pale little hands. He was curled up, with one of his legs pulled tight against his chest, Mello couldn't tell if this posture was because he was still shaken from the night before or if he just sat like that in any social situation. But despite his uncertainty as to his opinions about Near, Mello was still glad that Matt hadn't mentioned how he'd been frightened last night, _'he doesn't deserve that.'_

Neo had been watch Mello and Near the entire morning, the way Mello threw glances down toward Near, and the way Near shot glances back when Mello had his attention elsewhere. She wasn't as sold yet on the Mello and Near idea as Matt, mainly, she thought, because she knew Near a great deal better than he did. Matt and Mello had always held a special bond that had made her somewhat an outside when they'd been a trio. But with Near she had already become very close, as close if not closer then she was with Matt and Mello. She never said much to the kid, but they'd bonded over the unsaid things, both reading between the lines.

They both understood their need for silence, Near because it helped him collect his thoughts, Neo because she hated other people and hated having to talk. That was another thing, while he didn't share her hatred, Near never judged it either. Rather he just accepted it being a part of who Neo was, being as integral to her image as her red jacket, grey scarf, or constant scowl. Still Matt did have a point, Near had been the best thing to happen to the blonde in a while, he'd been somewhat calmer since Near's appearance, and far less bored. Perhaps Near and Mello should be together, _'But who am I to force it?_ '

But as Neo watched the two she realised that if it was to happen, she may not have to do anything about it. They seemed to be moving in their own strange way, like magnets pulled toward each other. Mello was as fiery as Near was cold, but the two seemed to gravitate around the other. Near was the Ying to Mello's Yang. Perhaps. Neo wasn't about to jump to any conclusions, but she could certainly see where Matt was coming from, _'I'll have to pay more attention.'_

'And here endeth the end of the story.' Matt concluded.

Kiyomi laughed, she'd (thankfully) missed out on everything, but she did want to find out exactly what was true and what was not. She'd heard a lot about the prank in the few hours she'd been awake, Wammy's had become a veritable melting pot of rumours concerning the night before, and she wanted to know what was true and what wasn't.

'Ok.' She said, putting down her cup. 'Rumour has it that L and Light were both naked.'

Light and Misa laughed, L went slightly red.

'No.' Light said. 'But we weren't fully clothed.'

'Oh?' Kiyomi said, intrigued.

'Well L was in his boxers and I…'

'Light was in nothing but some red briefs.' Misa finished.

Kiyomi had to stop herself from shooting a look at Misa, instead she gripped her cup tightly. _'She was so smug about it, as if she were unofficially challenging me!'_ Kiyomi knew that she was being ridiculous, after all Misa always relished an opportunity to be the centre of attention. But still, she couldn't help but be annoyed, the way Misa sat slightly to close to Light in the exact same way that Kiyomi herself wished she was doing. Misa had no reason to fancy Light, and had shown no sign that she did, but Kiyomi still felt like pulling her by her hair and shouting 'back off!' very loudly into her face.

Kiyomi instead resolved to take a sip of her tea.

'You ran into Light and L?' Matt asked Misa.

'Yep!' She confirmed with a smile. 'Honestly it was all so weird, like middle of the night, just found their door open, the pot plant was smashed on the wall, and then the door mysteriously shuts, like I was freaking out. I thought, 'maybe it's a ghost', you know, shutting doors and throwing pot plants.'

'Misa.' Kiyomi said, taking the opportunity to get one up on the girl. 'You know ghosts don't actually exist?'

'Anyway.' Misa said ignoring Kiyomi. 'I'm totally freaked, I was worried about L and Light, cause it might have been in your room. So I go to get help and run into, of all things, Light and L in their underwear.'

Matt snorted a laugh, and Misa cackled loudly, finding her anecdote very amusing. Matt regained his composure quickly.

'Ok Misa.' He said. 'Light and L right, what were their sizes like, if you had to guess?'

'Ew gross.' Misa squealed.

'Come on Misa.' Matt pleaded. 'I gotta know wether I'm bigger or not.'

'Matt you're disturbed.' Mello said.

Light tried to intervene, steering the conversation away from something other than his size.

'Lets talk about something else…' He said weakly.

'No.' Matt said forcefully. 'Misa, how big were they?'

'Do I have to?' She said meekly.

'Yes!' Matt said.

'Ok, well Light was… I dunno, larger than average I guess…'

'And L?' Matt said.

Everyone else had begun to very quietly drink, trying their best to ignore the conversation, taking place in front of them.

'Well, I couldn't say for sure because he was in boxers, but he wasn't small…'

'Is that so?' Matt said leaning back.

'I guess.' Misa said. 'But I don't want to think about them that way, besides L, you were so adorable with your teddy bear boxers.'

Misa leaned over to L and pinched his cheek. When she finished Matt and Neo both gave L a look, wriggling their eyebrows suggestively. The red head, mouthed 'Oo-la-la' and L and fake swooned, Neo puckered her lips.

L groaned internally, _'So Matt and Neo both knew as well, just great.'_ He was growing very tired of the rumour about his supposed feeling for Misa, he honestly had no feelings for her and just wanted to move on, but it seemed that none of his friends were content to let him do so just yet.

Near had been leaning back and watching the exchange for some minutes now, unlike a week ago when it would have been due to feeling as if he didn't fit in, now it was because he honestly had nothing to say. Instead Near had been focusing on Mello, watching the blonde, trying to understand him. Until now Near had been watching him in a fairly isolated settings, but with other people his demeanour changed. Mello hadn't made Near the target of a single insult as he usually did. In fact the most annoyed the blonde had been at Near had been in morning, when due to a seating shortage in Lights car, Near had to ride on Mello lap. Mello had protested, but more out of exhaustion than an actual antipathy toward Near.

What made him even more fascinating was how he'd behaved the night before. Near hadn't expected the fireworks to have the effect they did, but they'd triggered him, despite not being his fear, and he'd frozen in terror all the same. What had been far more amazing was Mello's actions when Near had frozen, he hadn't left him, he barely insulted Near. Instead Mello had been, what Near had never seen him be, calm. No, not just calm; he'd been warm, inviting, and surprisingly, comforting. The way he'd said 'Trust Me', it was almost as if a mask he'd been maintaining had fallen and the real Mello, just for that moment, had shown himself.

Near was very interested in that Mello.

Near turned away to observe the conversation, Mello took the opportunity to appraise the albino again. He'd been quiet all morning, his face revealing none of the thoughts and feelings contained in his clockwork brain. The more time Mello spent with him the less he felt he understood him, the only time Near had been totally honest with him being the night before. If he wanted to understand the kid he was going to have to draw him out.

'Near.' Mello said, cutting across the conversation.

Everybody stopped and stared at the two, they'd been by far the quietest all morning.

'Yes Mello.' Near replied.

'Why aren't you wearing the clothes we bought you yesterday?'

It was the first time the others had noticed, but Near was indeed back in his white pyjamas.

'I feel more comfortable wearing these.' Near said honestly.

' _Comfort is it?'_ Mello thought, _'Well what does that tell me about him? He prefers comfort to fashion? I'm not sure he even understands fashion as a concept. Maybe he doesn't feel pressured into doing things he doesn't want to do. Yes that's got to be it! I've learnt something about him. Now to see if I can push him.'_

'Well we spent a lot of money buying those clothes, you should really wear them, its only polite.'

'Cause you'd know all about polite.' Matt interjected.

'What?' Mello growled at the red head.

'Nothing.'

He turned back to Near, silently demanding an answer from the boy. Everyone leaned in slightly, they were all curious to see how this conversation would play out.

'I never asked you to buy the clothes Mello.'

'But we did anyway, consider it a gift.'

'An unnecessary gift.'

'Are you rejecting my kindness?'

'If kindness has to be forced it ceases to be kindness.'

'If you wait for someone to ask you may be left 'hanging' for a very long time Near.'

Mello emphasised the word hanging, lingering on the word, as if tasting it and the power it had over Near. He stared Near down, _'come on Near you stupid sheep boy, take the bait, come on.'_ In response Near squinted slightly, focusing his attention onto the blonde. Neo and Matt watched with interest knowing that Mello was referencing the night before. The other four watched the verbal rally, entertained but unaware just what Mello was alluding too.

'Perhaps.' Near said calmly. 'But I wasn't aware I was in need of your charity.'

Mello kept his composure but internally he was jumping and cheering, _'Ha, you took my bait, you're not going to surprise me today.'_

'I believe you were in need of charity.' Mello said.

'What makes you the judge?' Near asked challengingly.

'My more objective view in the situation.'

Matt had to stifle a laugh, Mello was, in his opinion, far from objective here.

'I still didn't require your help.' Near said.

'I simple thank you would have sufficed.'

Mello smiled slightly, he'd managed to talk Near into a wall and now he was going to show him his true colours. _'What's he going to do?'_ Mello wondered, _'become aloof and brush me off? Perhaps he will insult me, or maybe he'll snap.'_ Mello could almost taste the real Near, having been drawn out by his carefully planned verbal assault. _'What I know for sure, is that Near won't be saying thank you, he's far to proud.'_

'Thank you, Mello.' Near said quietly.

Mello nearly fell off his chair, _'Damn it! Why can't I ever pick it!'_ He contained every word he wanted to throw at Near, bottling it all up. _'Stupid kid doesn't make any sense.'_

'You're welcome.' Mello said, hiding the maelstrom of anger underneath.

'God, get a room you two.' Matt said, relieving the tension in the room.

'Shut the fuck up you porn addict.' Mello snapped.

'Hey, guilty as charged.' Matt replied with a smile.

…

L was lounging around in Misa's room, his and Lights room was still a disaster zone so he'd decided to relocate for the evening. Everyone else it seemed was busy, he had no idea where Near, Neo, Matt, or Mello where, Light was of doing his criminology assessment with Adeline, and Kiyomi was probably in the library.

L glanced around Misa and Neo's dorm from where he say. The room had a unique furniture arrangement, with the bunk bed having been dragged into the centre of the room to act as a divider, Neo putting her belongings on the left hand side and Misa keeping her possessions on the right.

It gave the room a unique design, Misa adorning her walls with posters of her favourite bands from both Japan and abroad. The one thing they all seemed to have in common were their lengthy fringes and expressions of general angst. L had wondered more than once why Misa loved punk, seeing as it contradicted her bubbly personality.

The only other features of Misa's side of the room were her guitar, a stand full of vinyl records (Misa claimed that owning things on viny; was far better than just a copy on a computer), and the large couch which had been jammed into the small amount of space between the bed and the wall. This was where L himself was currently seated.

Neo's side of the room reflected her personality just as Misa's side did, it had taken L slightly longer to realise but the essence of Neo was everywhere. There were two large bookshelves jammed into what space there was along the wall, their ancient bodies filled with numerous tomes. She had a skull on one of the shelves and L had no idea if it was fake or not. She also had a dead rabbit, which she had personally stuffed and cut the feet off of (Neo had said it was because 'all of the rabbit bar the feet is lucky').

The only other feature was a Latin phrase written above where Neo slept written in thick red, what L hoped was but probably wasn't, paint. It read _'Bis Ipsa vita est sed malls fit longlor'_ which Neo had said translated to: _'Our Life is short but is made longer by misfortunes'._

L read over this and gave a small humourless laugh, he'd never really understood Neo's very dark personality. Most people mistook it as her sense of humour but if you knew her long enough you'd realise she was always dead serious she just used the sarcasm to mask it. That phrase was Neo being Neo, there was nothing disingenuous or ironic about it, she really felt that way about life.

And for the first time L understood what she had meant when she had written that on the wall. It wasn't that unfortunate things extended your life literally, but rather unfortunate things made time move seemingly slower and thereby 'extending' ones life. This last week had gone seemingly forever for L, everyone badgering him about his supposed crush on Misa. '

' _At least she doesn't know'_ L thought. _'After all it would make things so awkward, and then we'd be uncomfortable all because of a rumour with no basis.'_

L leaned back and thanked the god he didn't believe in that Misa didn't know about the ridiculous rumour. His thought was interrupted by a small cough from the blonde.

'Yes?' L asked.

'L, I need to ask you a question.'

'Ok.'

'You see Light told me this thing and I'm sure its not true, but he said that you have a crush on me.' She looked nervous as she said this.

L wanted to scream, _'honestly Light, you just go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, and now she thinks I like her! This situation is a total mess, how can I convince her I don't have any of those sorts of feelings?'_

Misa interrupted his thoughts again with another small cough.

'L.' She said again.

'Hmm.' L responded nervously.

'Is it true?'

'What?'

'The rumour.'

'Oh.'

L didn't know what to say, _'would she believe me? I could just say no, but she might think that I'm hiding my feelings. On the other hand if I'm not definitive then she'll defiantly think I have a crush, but if I'm to emphatic I might hurt her feelings.'_ L resolved to tell her the truth just as he normally would.

'No, Misa, I do not.'

'Ok…' She said.

L began to speak again before Misa could finish, _'she's sceptical, what do I do?'_

'And I know Light told youand you believe him, but honestly…'

'L.'

'Yes?' He said, calming.

'I believe you.'

'You do?' L asked, shocked.

'Yes, I do.'

L breathed a mental sigh of relief, it seemed that Misa was actually be the most rational of all his friends. It seemed totally impossible, yet here she was telling him she believed him, and there was no evidence to say she shouldn't. _'But if she really does believe me then the rumour will be that much easier to dispel'_ L thought happily. He wasn't sure how Misa could be so rational about the situation, but he was glad she was.

'Well that's relieving.' L said.

'I know, I didn't think you'd like me, I'd always pictured you with someone quieter than me. It would have been really awkward if you did.'

They both laughed.

'Anyway.' Misa said as she finished laughing. 'I have another question.'

L smiled at her, whatever the question was it couldn't put him off, a burden had just been lifted from his shoulders, nothing could kill his mood. He was ready to answer anything she could throw at him.

'Its about Light.' Misa elaborated.

And L felt his mood evaporate in front of him, realising that there was indeed one thing he didn't want to talk about.

'Yes?' He said reluctantly, perhaps she was just going to talk about something completely unrelated.

'Does Kiyomi have a thing for him?' Misa asked quickly.

L felt himself weighed down suddenly by a completely new burden, one that was equally bad as the one that had proceeded it. _'Honestly Misa, of all the things you could have asked it had to be this?'_ L thought grimly. He just wanted to have one day where he wasn't plagued by people making their emotions his problem.

'Well…' L began.

'She does, doesn't she?' Misa said.

'You see…'

'Does Light like her back?'

'Look…'

'He does, doesn't he?' Misa said, tears welling up in her eyes.

'No Misa…'

'How am I meant to live?' She wailed loudly.

'Misa please…'

'I'm dying! My heart is broken, my dreams shattered!'

'Misa, Light does not have a thing for Kiyomi.' L said loudly over her melodramatic misery.

'He doesn't?' She said, the tears suddenly gone, her woeful face replaced with a joyous one instantaneously.

'Not to my knowledge.' L said wearily.

'Oh, well that fixes everything.' Misa said brightly.

'Indeed.' L agreed.

' _But Kiyomi does like Light'_ Misa thought to herself, _'what am I meant to do about it!'_ Misa thought this over in her head, trying in vain to come up with a way to get Lights attention. _'Kiyomi is smarter than I am, and we're equally attractive…'_

L watched Misa think, her face pulled tight as if she were constipated or frozen in the moment of being stabbed by a painfully shard object. On the one hand it was a hilarious face she was pulling, on the other L felt sorry for his mentally deficient friend and decided to intervene.

'Misa.' He said.

'Oh, yes L?'

'As a completely objective outsider can I just say one thing?'

'Ok.'

'If you were to hypothetically want to get Lights attention it might actually be easier for you than for Kiyomi.'

Misa pulled a confused face, her mouth slightly ajar, her expression saying 'what'?

'You see.' L elaborated. 'Kiyomi is generally smarter than you right?'

Misa looked slightly hurt, but her expression also fell, she knew this was true.

'So?' She asked bitterly.

'So it would be easier for you to surpass expectations because they are lower.'

'What?'

'You just need one good idea to impress Light, it can be anything, and you will have scored major points over Kiyomi.'

'But ideas don't make people like you L.' She glumly.

'True, but you're already good looking and charming, you just need to show one stroke of brilliance.'

'You think so?'

'I think it may work, yes.'

'So will you help me?'

'I'm just an objective outsider here Misa.' L said leaning back and returning his gaze to his laptop. 'I was just making some general observations.'

Misa couldn't help but adore the raven haired boy, sure he was the most unfashionable person she'd ever met, and sometimes he could be a bit creepy with that weird stare, but then he'd come out and do her a favour for no particular reason. If she didn't know any better she'd say he did actually like her, but that just didn't fit with his personality, instead he'd given her the biggest boost she could hope for.

' _Now just to come up with a good idea'_ Misa thought. She ran through ideas in her head, but she, as well as everyone else, knew that ideas weren't her strong suit. To her it felt like she was rushing through ideas incredibly quickly, but to her friends it probably would have seemed unbearably slow compared to how quickly they thought.

She sighed and flopped back first onto her bed, she needed something that would be guaranteed to impress Light. Misa thought over every time she'd said something that had impressed the brunette, _'there has to be something.'_

Then it hit her, it seemed so obvious, they'd just been victim to a pretty impressive one after all, and Light would be more than impressed.

'A prank!' She shouted loudly, making L jump. 'I'll come up with an amazing prank ideas.'

'If you say so.' L said.

He looked back down at his laptop, _'she has heart, I'll give her that.'_

…

The evening was growing late, Near and Neo had both been sitting in his room for hours now.

The floor of his room was a silent testament to how long they'd been there. The great tower Near had made out of dominoes and dice said more about how much of the day he and Neo had wasted in his room. The tower was surrounded by an enormous array of plastic soldiers and toy robots, surrounding the black and white tower, encircling it and cutting it off from the rest of the world.

To say that he and Neo had been wasting time would actually be untrue, they had in fact been getting ahead on their ethics work. It was the only elective class that the two of them shared, with Neo favouring literary and academic subjects over Near's predilection for subjects to do with criminals and the law. However, Neo had soon found him to be educated on ethics and a strong rebuttal for her own thoughts and arguments.

'All I'm saying is that there are a few things that can be universally recognized as right and wrong.' Neo said. 'Like we can all agreed that killing is ethically wrong.'

Near continued to line up his toy soldiers as he argued with Neo, finding that this was the best way to keep ahead of her.

'Nobody can tell what is right and what us wrong, what is righteous and evil. Even I there was a God and I had his teachings before me, I would think it through and decide what is right or wrong for myself.' Near replied.

'It's mighty arrogant of you to think you can challenge God.' Neo said.

'I'm told frequently by my mother that arrogance is my greatest vice.' Near said.

'Your hamartia, as it were.'

'My what?'

'Hamartia.' Neo said. 'Its ancient Greek for fatal flaw.'

Near turned to face her and gave a quizzical look.

'You know Greek as well as Latin.'

'No, I just know phrases of Greek here and there.'

Near nodded and returned to his toys, he'd almost finished placing the last of the toy soldiers around the tower. Neo watched him as he went about this, thinking about how he and Mello had verbally rattled sabres at each other at BB's. She thought about how Near had fallen straight into Mello's trap, _'it was so obvious, how had he not seen it?'_ Mello it seemed, was rubbing off on Near as much as Near was on Mello. A week ago Neo wasn't sure if Near was actually capable of holding a conversation with a person for more than a minute and yet they'd just been arguing about ethics for the last half an hour. _'And the way he took up Mello's challenge this morning'_ Neo thought. _'He must have known what Mello was doing but it was almost like Near couldn't help himself.'_

'I'm curious.' Near said.

'What about loser?' Neo responded.

'The nicknames.'

'Nicknames?'

'Yes. Near, Mello, Neo, Matt. How were they created?'

Neo had been waiting for this question for a while now, most people just accepted those nicknames to be their actual names, _'although who would actually name their child Neo and Mello? Honestly the parents would have to hate that child.'_ But Near, Neo guessed, must have worked out that these were not their actual names, seeing as he himself had been allocated one by Neo.

'Well.' Neo explained. 'I started it, cause you see, Neo was a nickname I gave myself.'

'Why?' Near asked.

'Because my real name is so lame I wanted to pretend it didn't exist.'

'What is your real name?' Near asked.

'Well… its Napoleon Evelyn-Jane Oatfield.' Neo said quietly, her face creasing into the most angry scowl Near had seen her pull to date.

Near sat in silence, letting the information sink in. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting Neo's real name to be, but it certainly wasn't that. Near wasn't sure where to start with processing or scrutinizing the information, _'Neo said she was part Greek, so why does she have a French first name, or an English last name? Why had her parents done this to her?'_ It just made no sense in Near's mind.

'Yeah, its really stupid isn't it.' Neo said bitterly.

'Why did they call you Napoleon?' Near asked. 'Didn't they realise it was a boys name?'

'Oh my parents knew.' Neo said angrily. 'But my Dad had wanted a boy so when he got a me instead he cursed me with the stupid name anyway and then treated me like a disappointment just because I was born without a dick.'

Neo had snapped so suddenly that Near drew back slightly, scarred by Neo's sudden outburst. She hadn't raised her voice at all, but every word was said with so much malice and venom that it probably could have poisoned the air around her. Neo saw how much her sudden outburst had frightened Near and immediately worked at calming herself. She began her usual copping technique of readjusting her scarf while she said:

'I'm sorry Near. It's not you're problem, I just have a lot of unresolved issues with my parents.'

Near nodded understandingly and gave her a small smile.

'I understand.' He said.

Neo wondered just how much he did understand, she'd seen him speak to his mother on the phone several times and he'd always been so distant with her. In less than a week he had already become more comfortable around Mello, Matt, and herself then he seemed even talking to his mother. _'Hell,'_ Neo thought _'he even tried to send back the furniture a week ago but when Mello gave him something he thanked him.'_ Neo wondered just what had happened to make Near act like this, but she decided to let it be, _'he'll tell me when he's ready I guess.'_

'So how did Matt and Mello get their pseudonyms?' Near asked.

'Oh, well it happened early last year. They came up to me and told me that I was going to be their friend, and when I say they I mean Matt, Mello was so standoffish that I could have disembowelled him.' Neo said. 'But I guess you know what I'm talking about, he was pretty awful to you too.'

Near nodded with a grin, _'true, while Mello had been horrific to me we've already become… '_. Near's thought trailed off in search of the right word, it wasn't friends, it was to generic. With him and Mello it was something a lot more complex, they both had issues with the other but they also had some sort of unspoken contract. The way Mello had saved him last night and how Near had let Mello make decisions for him, like with the furniture and the clothes.

No friends was not the right word, it was something more personal and unspoken. ' _Its not a coalition or alliance, its not a pact or partnership, its too personal for that, its almost like a bond…'_

'So how did this lead to the nicknames?' Near asked.

'Well,' Neo said. 'I agreed to be their friend on the condition that I could rename them. So I Mail became Matt because I thought the name suited him more, and Mihael became Mello because he needed to mellow out and take a chill pill.'

Near allowed himself a small smile, Neo laughed dryly, amused more by Near's apparent amusement at her wit than actually finding her own story funny.

They were then interrupted by Near's mobile, which began to ring and buzz loudly. They were both shocked, time had gone past so quickly without their having noticed. But when they looked out the window they saw that they were indeed already deep into the night. Near went to answer the phone and Neo watched curiously.

'Hello.' He said.

'Nate honey!' Came the incredibly loud response. 'How are you?'

'Perfectly adequate.'

'That's great honey, look I heard about some big explosion or something at the school.'

'How did you hear about that?' Near asked, puzzled.

'The school told me of course! They suspect some people that you've been spending a lot of time with apparently.'

Near looked over at Neo.

'Is that so?'

'Were you involved at all Nate?'

'No.' He lied calmly.

'Well ok, it sounds awfully scary, I can take you home if its becomes to much…'

'No.' Near said, almost a bit to quickly and loudly. He regained his composure quickly. 'I mean no, I'm fine.'

'Well ok honey. Ohhh, its your birthday in a month, what do you want?'

'Nothing mother.'

'Ok. Toys it is.'

'Mother…'

'Well I'll go now.'

Near went to hang up the phone when his mother shouted loudly, clearly having forgotten something until now that she had meant to say.

'Oh, Nate honey, check the weather forecast ok?'

'Ok mother.'

'Bye now!'

Near hung up the phone and sighed as he put it down. Neo began to collect her things and went to leave. She heard everything Mrs River had said, she was incredibly loud.

'You're birthday hey?' Neo said with a smirk.

'Please don't do anything…' Near said, almost begging.

'I can't make any promises.' Neo said in a singsong voice, going to leave.

Near was content to let her leave and call it an evening when he was struck with a thought.

'Neo.' He said.

'Hmm?'

'Why were Matt and Mello busy this evening?'

'The welfare person of course.'

Welfare?' Near said, confused.

'You mean you still don't know?'

'Know what?'

'Well, Matt and Mello are orphans.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well its not really a shocking revelation for us, but for Near its certainly a surprise. Anyway please tell me what you guys thought, I'd love to have your ideas and feedback for the up and coming chapters!_


	11. Chapter 9: Pink Panther Prank Proposal

_A/N: Enjoy folks!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from death note._

* * *

'Orphans?' Near repeated in shock.

'Orphans.' Neo confirmed. 'Every month they have a welfare worker come around and check on them.'

'How do they pay for school?' Near asked.

'They're scholarship students.'

'I see.'

Near's usual calm façade had completely dropped, a look of surprised contemplation replacing it. He began to stare off into space, considering how the affected the scarred blonde and goggled red head. Neo was quick to interrupt his thoughts.

'Hey, loser.' She said, waving her hand in front of Near's face. 'Don't worry about it, they're still the same Mello and Matt you know.'

Near nodded. Neo took this as a good enough answer and left, Near holding the door for her.

'I'm heading back to my room before curfew, later loser.'

'Goodbye Neo.' Near paused, a sly grin emerging on his face. 'Or should I say Napoleon…'

'If you dare Near.' Neo said, spinning on the spot and giving him a murderous stare. 'I will eat your spleen with some avocado.'

Despite her terrifying threat Near held his smile, wearing down Neo's own angry scowl until she too joined in. _'At least he's not over thinking the orphan thing'_ Neo reconciled to herself, _'but if he ever mentions my name again I'll replace decapitate him and replace his head with his toy bunny's.'_

Near watched Neo walk down the hall, her bright red jacket and long black hair growing steadily smaller. The ambient light of the hall caused Neo to cast great shadows along the wall, a towering and bulging silhouette mimicking her every step. Near looked her dark doppelganger over, its terrifying form making the real Neo look small and non-threatening by comparison. _'How symbolic'_ Near thought wryly, she was the ultimate in 'all bark with no bite' after all. Neo turned and gave him a little wave, Near smiled brightly again and waved back.

When she finally turned the corner the smile fell from Near's face quickly, his muscles already aching from having held the fake expression for so long. He'd known she wouldn't leave until he had seemingly dropped the topic of Matt and Mello being orphans. In reality his mind had been buzzing with the new information, trying to interpret and compare it to his current thoughts and assumptions about the two.

' _How long have they been orphans? Did they ever known their parents?'_ Near wondered, _'perhaps they both tried to ignore it and live their lives.'_ Near wondered if he should pursue the information, after all his goal was understanding Mello, in all of his emotional complexity _, 'this could be key to his understanding, provide him with an essential piece of the puzzle.'_ After all, until now Near had been making little headway with his mission. He and Mello had been dancing around each other, their every interaction was darting and calculated, but Near had always recognized that there had been a proverbial elephant in the room.

If he asked Mello about it and the reaction was bad then it could damage Near's friendship with not only the blonde but the others as well. On the other hand he had to find out, he had to beat Mello. As Near closed the door and walked back over to his toys he laughed quietly at Mello's ignorance. _'He thinks that I'm oblivious to the fact that he's investigating me, he's such a fool.'_

Near was grateful for Mello's ignorance though, it had allowed him to calculate exactly what to tell Mello in any situation. He'd always tell Mello just what he wanted to hear and then add in something else, just to throw off the blonde. Near relished the expression of complete confusion Mello pulled, his mouth gaping momentarily only to be pulled tight in frustration. _'Mello may think that I have no sense of humour, but he'd be wrong.'_ In truth, Near wanted to extend this game that he was playing with Mello, surprising him had become a slight addiction for him.

Near shook his head, _'Mello, my addiction?'_ Near was glad that nobody could read his mind, that thought alone, whilst perhaps true, was intolerably embarrassing.

The albino crouched and began stacking additional dominoes, returned his thoughts to the fact that Mello and Matt were orphans. If he couldn't ask Mello about it, then he'd have to talk to Matt, after all he was more forthcoming with information. _'Now what to ask Matt?'_ Near wondered, _'I can't just bring the topic randomly, that's not how it works, right?'_ Near placed more an more dominoes, lining the up on the floor just as he was lining up ideas in his mind.

Near placed dominoes for an hour, the last one being lined up as his eyes began to droop with weariness. He then flicked the domino at the end of the line and watched the chain reaction, the small plastic objects toppling o the ground all around him, in an array of premeditated destruction. As each domino fell Near ruled out another of his ideas, hundreds of possibilities being eliminated in a matter of seconds.

The wave of falling dominoes reached the base of the tower, and the entire structure began to slowly concave. It began at the base of the tower, as if its foundations were being sucked into a void below them, this caused the rest of the tower to fall inwards, creating a black and white rain. Near caught the domino at the top of the tower just before gravity reclaimed it and pulled it toward the ground, the only domino that had not fallen, Near's idea.

He was going to ask Matt about something Mello had said, it made a lot more sense now that Near knew about their lack of family.

' _Stop acting like his big brother!'_

The remembered words rang around in Near's mind, Mello's condescending tone filling echoing around Near's thoughts. Mello hadn't realised it then, but he'd given Near the perfect chance to find out about his past. All Near had to do was bring it up with Matt and then he'd understand the blonde so much more, _'just that much easier to get that priceless surprised expression'_ Near thought gleefully.

…

The week progressed uneventfully for everyone, with the most exciting thing to happen being the thunderstorms that rolled over the skyline of Thursday and Friday. They darkened the skies, the days being only marginally brighter than the nights. The storms filled the air with raindrops that beat against roofs and windows relentlessly, and muddied the grounds. The storms kept students confined inside, forcing them to listen to the rolling thunder through brick walls and watch the lightning out of rain spattered windows.

For the criminology students the rain mattered little. They spent every afternoon confined to their rooms or scavenging the library, with mixed results.

Light soon found out that Adeline made for a terrible assessment partner, as she was even lazier than rumours would have had him believe. They spent their time in the library, where the dark skinned girl would sit at the table with Light, looking bored whilst he flicked through page after page, digging up books both old and new. The only times she ever spoke to him it was due to her feeling a need to complain about something. Light was used to complaining, it was commonplace when you were friends with Mello and Neo.

However, Adeline was a different kind of creature altogether. There were the obvious physical differences, Adeline was in no way small and she was far from fit, unlike the lean and toned Mello or the subtly voluptuous Neo. But it was the way she complained that really set her apart.

Mello's whinging had always been driven by a very loud, but almost always rational anger. He'd always been capable of identifying the cause of his outbursts and then solving his problems, and while Light didn't appreciate the noise, he could appreciate how Mello used it as a method of creating solutions and not wishing for them.

Neo was equally tolerable, because Light identified with most of her complaints. She was angered by stupidity, ridiculous rules, and wasted effort. While her complaining always came with a terrifying threat Light would still permit it and even enjoy, after all, Neo's threats were funny in a very dark kind of way.

Adeline, was not like Mello, nor was she like Neo. She was Adeline. If there was a word Light had to choose to describe her and her complaints, it would be the same word he'd use to describe her nationality.

She was positively French.

She looked down her fat nose at Light whenever he did work, as if he were a servant unworthy to be around her. But then, if Light asked her to help she look as if she'd just been slapped across the face, suddenly becoming very tolerant of her 'servants' presence.

As time went on, their relationship grew worse, Light would ask for her to pass a pen and she'd throw it at him. He'd ask her to look for a page in a book and she'd 'accidentally' drop it and refuse to pick it up. Light would ask her to look online for some quotes from a famous criminologist and she'd oblige until she saw a picture and exclaim:

'We can'oot quote 'im, 'e iz 'ideous!' ('You're not so great yourself' Light would think when she said this).

And she would promptly close the website and instead move onto her facebook page, where she would make huffy comments under her breath about ' 'ow Gabrielle iz so uglee.'

When this occurred Light would search across the room for Kiyomi, and make an exasperated expression. She'd give him a sympathetic smile and giggle at his plight.

For Kiyomi this arrangement worked well as she 'scored points' over Misa, and got hours of time with Light, getting to watch him as he worked. That was Kiyomi's favourite Light, when he was, as she said, _'a genius at work.'_ The way his brow furrowed and his lips would tighten only for his expression to lift once more when he found the answer he was after. Kiyomi liked to watch this cycle of expressions, Light shifting between one mask or the other, like a pondering Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Light continued seemingly unaware of the level of observation he was under from across the room. He scribbled down notes and ways to link different ideas and events with his chosen uncaught criminal, with the ever unhappy Adeline next to him, trying ever harder to be unpleasant. _'Honestly why does she do criminology if she doesn't like the work? Why is she at Wammy's if she doesn't want to work, honestly.'_ Light hoped that Near and Mello were having a better time.

Near and Mello were having, an interesting time.

Not necessarily better, and by no means worse, just more interesting.

The blonde and albino had begun to function together, having come to a consensus about their chosen uncaught criminal, Jack the Ripper. As their research on the topic deepened so to did their research on each other.

Mello began to understand how Near thought, watching how he structured his toys as a means to structure his thoughts. When brainstorming the floor would become covered in toy soldiers, or dominoes, growing more expansive as their lists grew more extensive. When they were researching Near would often have Mello read out from books or website while he made a puzzle, fitting the information into the bigger picture just as he fitted the puzzle together.

Near's unspoken language, with his toys postures and slight variances with body language, was extensive. Mello knew he had barely begun to scratch the surface with his understanding of the snow haired boy but he knew that this language reflected how Near thought. Everything about it was immense and complex, interconnecting and elusive, Mello never truly understood the meaning behind one of Near's habits until he could relate it to another. It was like a spiders web for Mello, his normal direct approach getting him stuck in the web.

Instead he had to devise new ways to weave his way through.

'Near, can you take a look at the family background of the victims?'

'Of course Mello.'

Pause.

'I'm unsure what you want me to look for Mello.'

'A pattern, their relationships with parents, siblings, family, anything they have in common.'

'Do you think that parents can influence a persons choice of victim?'

'You don't?'

'I've never really considered it.'

'But it's family, it affects everyone.'

'Its subjective, your own belief and past can influence those lines of thought.'

'Is that so?'

'I believe it to be, yes.'

Mello still believed that the key to understanding Near was understanding the relationship with his mother. Every ten o'clock when the call came Mello would listen to each word, how Near and her interacted, his tone and body language. It wasn't much to go off, seeing how Near had a poker face second to none, but it was a place to start.

Mello had only suggested Jack the Ripper because of his targeting women, believing it could lead to the subject of Near's mother, so far however, it had not done so.

Near was playing his own games of course, he'd yet to ask Matt about the orphan topic, so for now Near was content to observe how Mello's and his relationship evolved.

Normally Near had to have an active hand in controlling and developing his connection with people, he was used to it of course. From a very young age he'd had to force information out of people, make them talk to him so he had no issues doing so with Mello. However as their work continued Near was finding he had to force information from Mello less and less often, the blonde becoming comfortable and accepting of him and offering information more freely when Near asked.

He'd begun to notice patterns with the blonde as well. His chocolate, for example, could indicate his mood. Near had begun to notice that the more emotionally irate the blonde was the louder his bites were, and they grew quieter when Mello was happy for felt he'd accomplished something.

Near had taken to spending all of the money his mother sent him on buying chocolate from the canteen. When Near had first presented the chocolate he'd gotten another one of the surprised expression that he desired so much from Mello.

'Ok shit-face lets get started… woah.'

'Hello Mello.'

'Where did you get all this fucking chocolate?'

'Downstairs.'

'Why!?'

'Because I thought you might appreciate it.'

'Well…'

'Do you not like it?'

'I fucking do! How dare you suggest…'

'So you will take it.'

'I suppose so.'

That expression had been a particularly beautiful one in Near's opinion, the way his shock had made his mouth hang open and how his azure eyes became slightly more prominent. Near wasn't one to appreciate beauty often, but it seemed he was finding it in Mello, much to his surprise. He never let Mello figure this out though, letting the blonde instead believe that he was in a one-way investigation and Near was his unsuspecting subject.

Mello had grown more accustomed to Near's 'surprises', with the blonde coming to expect them, just never knowing what form they would take. The incident with the chocolate for instance had been a total surprise, but it was also the first truly pleasant one, although Mello still wasn't sure what he was meant to make of the scarlet bow tied around the basket they came in. When he'd shown it to Matt and Neo, who'd been spending most of their free time together, they'd given each other a glance that they thought Mello hadn't noticed.

' _What are they thinking?'_ Mello wondered. He decided to ignore it as _'it can't have been that important, seeing as Neo actually believes poetry is important.'_ Instead Mello would head back to their room and talk about his evening, whilst Neo and Matt played video games, smoked, and drank red bull, all the while listening to his stories.

'I mean he always has a surprise up his sleeve for me, its like he's testing me.'

'Probs is Mel.' Matt had said.

'What the fuck do you mean?'

'Well you're both in criminology and psychology right? Why wouldn't he be testing you, it makes sense.'

'The little bitch.' Mello had said, sitting up. 'He's been running little experiments on me, that's so wrong!'

'Aren't you doing that too?' Neo asked uncaringly.

'Yeah but that's not the point.'

'What is?' Neo said. 'Actually, don't tell me, I don't care.'

'It means he thinks he's better than me!' Mello said anyway. 'He's treating me like a little fucking rat and he sees himself as the fucking owner.'

'And you think it's the other way around?' Matt asked.

'Of course it is!' Mello shouted. 'I'm gonna show him.'

'How?'

'I dunno, but it'll be good.'

Mello had been planning on doing something, but when Near had not shown up to class for two days those plans had been put on hold. The little albino had no emerged from his room on Thursday or Friday, having told the teachers that 'due to unforseen circumstances he was unable to attend class.' Mello had gone up to his door and knocked, demanding to be let it, but he'd gotten no answer. _'Just further confirmation that he thinks he's better than me, he thinks he can just cancel plans and I'll be fine.'_ Mello would have entered Near's room through the window, but the stormy weather prevented him from doing so. Instead he resolved to use the extra time to come up with a really good way of proving he was dominant over Near.

' _And fuck it'll be good.'_

…

Light, Misa, Kiyomi, and L all marvelled at the new room. It had taken a while but Light and L's dorm was totally repaired and refurnished. The walls had been done over in a light grew, with the furniture selected complementing it. The couches, the bedspreads, the bed frame, the wardrobes, everything, were black, white, or different variations of grey. The entire room looked like a black and white film, everything artistically chosen and contrasting to create a simplistic beauty about the whole space.

'Its very impressive.' Kiyomi admitted.

'I love it guys!' Misa squealed.

L and Light exchanged satisfied glances, they'd spent every free minute working on it, which wasn't much time due to the criminology assessment as well as assessments from numerous other subjects. Still, whenever Light wasn't trapped in the library with Adeline he'd come back to the room where he and L would continue their work.

Light was silently glad that he'd gotten approval from Misa and Kiyomi, he couldn't stand thinking about how much time they'd spent on this project. And after himself and L, those two girls would be spending the most amount of time in the room so it would be terrible if they didn't like the décor.

'Ok, I have some big news.' Kiyomi announced.

The other three moved onto the couches where they sat, being the perfect and polite audience.

'Well.' Kiyomi said. 'I've been put on the committee for the Halloween Ball this year.'

A look of awe passed across their faces. The Halloween Ball was the biggest event of the year save for the award night, and for Kiyomi, a sophomore, to be put in charge of an event normally run by seniors was almost unheard of.

'Are you going to be able to deal with the pressure?' Light asked.

Misa shot a worried glance over at Light, _'he asked Kiyomi about the pressure, does he care about her well being more! Oh my god he does!'_ Misa wasn't sure how to deal with information; she was on the verge of hyperventilating when L gave her a look across the room to calm her down. _'Its like he knows what I'm thinking, maybe he does, maybe he's a telepath.'_ L gave her a second glance, his eyes telling her to 'think it over.'

Misa did so a realised that Light was probably actually just worried because the Halloween Ball had a huge level of pressure attached. It was the favourite event for most students and the thought of making the night awful was not one many wished to dwell on. Rumour had it that a decade ago when students got the night wrong they'd been bullied out of the school, except for the committee leader who had never been seen again…

' _Light wasn't picking a favourite, he was just worried for her well being'_ , Misa thought, nearly breathing a loud sigh of relief. _'That's so sweet of him!'_

'Misa are you going to be entering Miss Halloween this year?' Kiyomi asked.

'You bet I am!' Misa said with a nod.

Miss Halloween was essentially the schools beauty pageant, a group of the prettiest girls would enter and compete for the reward: the title of 'Miss Halloween' and normally some sort of monetary prize. The girls were judged on their costume, their interview, and their talent. Last year Misa had blitzed the competition, taking the title with ease, a title that she intended to contest.

'I'm sure you'll win.' Light said to Misa. 'And I'm sure the night will be great.' He said to Kiyomi,

The girls both smiled and then shot the other a look out of the corner of their eyes, a look Light was seemingly oblivious too. However, L was not so oblivious, he saw the look and sighed loudly, simply thinking ' _why me?'_

'Something wrong L?' Light asked.

'Nothing.' L replied.

'If you say so.' Light said. 'Now onto the reason why I invited you all here, we need to organise our next prank.'

The others nodded in unison, after the stunt Mello, Matt, Neo, and Near had pulled they needed some payback. L cast a look over at Misa, she was barely containing a grin, she must have something she thought was great for Light. L hoped that it was good; he didn't want her to embarrass herself.

'Ideas. Anyone?' Light asked.

'Not as of yet.' L said, standing and walking to the fridge to get some candy out.

'What about you Kiyomi?'

'You know that rule breaking isn't my area of expertise Light.' Kiyomi said.

'Misa?' Light asked. 'Ideas?'

Light didn't actually expect any ideas of merit from Misa, she always had something but rarely was it any good. _'Still you never_ know' Light thought _, 'I've been surprised by her before.'_

'Well…' Misa began.

'Yes?' Light asked, more out of curiosity than hope for a good idea.

'I thought that, like, there's no way to make a single prank bigger than the firework prank.'

'True.' Light and L agreed simultaneously.

'So I was thinking instead.' She said slowly. 'That we do, like, a week of pranks.'

'Like saturation pranking?' Light asked.

'Yeah I think.' Misa said. 'I don't know what saturation means.'

Light laughed and hugged Misa, 'she did have a good idea!' Misa was caught completely off guard by Lights sudden hug, but once she'd come back to her senses she blushed slightly. She then searched around the room for L and mouthed 'thank you' to him.

Kiyomi watched this whole exchange, ' _L's helping her, I can't believe it! I'm going to have to work twice as hard to win Light over.'_ Kiyomi paused, _'No, Lights a person not an object, I'll try my hardest to make him like me, but its ultimately his choice.'_ Kiyomi looked over at Misa, who had just been released from Light's embrace, her hair dishevelled, a goofy grin on her face. _'Still, it doesn't mean I can't undermine her'_ Kiyomi thought ruefully.

'Ok, now for prank options.' Light said.

L sat down opposite him, the two looked intently at each other. Misa and Kiyomi sat back and prepared to watch another one of Light and L's incredible brainstorms.

'How about food based options?' L said. 'We could put olives in their pockets.'

'Fill their schoolbags with honey.' Light added.

'Replace Mello's chocolate with soap that's shaped like chocolate.'

'Give them strawberries where we've filled the insides with anchovies.'

Misa and Kiyomi watched the quick fire exchange. L and Light were like tennis players, beating idea's at each other at an incredible pace, their minds functioning as one greater whole. Even if they were opposed, Misa and Kiyomi could still both appreciate this, giving each other smiles. There was nothing quite like L and Light having their, as Matt put it, 'bro time.'

'Ok.' L said. 'Water balloons?'

'Water Balloons and then flour.' Light said.

'And then we can throw raw eggs at them.'

'Are we trying to prank them or cook them?' Light asked jokingly.

'Both.' L said.

Everyone laughed at this, L wasn't known for his sense of humour, but when he did crack a joke it was either completely mis-timed and the most awkward thing a person could witness or it was perfectly timed and filled with a wry wit. In this case it was the latter.

When they had finally calmed down they realised that there was noise coming from outside their dorm. They all looked, trying to identify the sound, listening to the soft beating hum, its rhythm… It was music.

And not any music.

The music that floating into the dorm from outside was none other than the Pink Panther Theme.

'What the?' Misa asked.

As if to answer her question a figure slowly walked in through the door, moving his feet in time with the slow beat. He stepped, one, two, one two, in quick succession then paused, bobbing slightly on the spot and clicked his fingers along with the clicks in the tune. He then repeated this again, taking another quick set of steps along with the music and clicking his fingers. When the music rose, he began to dance more vibrantly around the room, taking small quick steps and gyrating erratically on the long notes. Whilst everyone was surprised at suddenly being danced at, they were not at all surprised at who the dancer was.

Matt.

As Matt danced around the room, attempting to capture an air of mystery similar to that of a Noir film, Neo came around the corner and leant in the doorframe holding the phone playing the music. She watched as Matt moved around the room, attempting his hardest to look stylish, mysterious and sexy at the same time, but instead just looked like a goofy four year old. Despite being associated with such a total idiot she wore one of her rare smiles on her face. It wasn't her normal sarcastic smile or forced smile, but a genuinely happy smile.

Light noticed this and raised his eyebrow questioningly, she just shrugged.

When the music finished Matt jumped onto the table and posed, in a vain attempt to be dramatic.

'What?' Misa asked.

No one else in the room was able to muster a verbal response to such an unexpected display. Finally Neo cut through the silence.

'You're an idiot Matt.'

'An idiot who can dance we.' He said, wiggling his knees as if to prove his point.

'If you can call it that.' She remarked.

'Hey!'

Kiyomi finally collected her thoughts enough to create a full sentence and proceeded to say:

'So what was that about Matt?' She spoke with a tone rang of judgement despite her attempts to be polite.

Matt sat down on the table and Neo walked into the room and perched herself on the arm of one of the couches.

'We have a proposition.' Matt said, making an obvious effort choosing the word 'proposition', as of he believed that he was somehow maintaining the aura of mystery he had failed to create.

'Really?' Light asked.

'Yeah, you see we were listening to your prank preparation, great idea's by the way.'

'Thanks.' Light said.

'And we have one for you, concerning Mello and Near.'

Light and L both leaned in, their curiosity piqued. Matt grinned slyly, as if he were about to divulge a dirty secret.

'Go on, we're listening.'

'Well, this is what I'm thinking…' Matt began.

When he had finished explaining the prank the others were sold. It was cruel, it was clever, and best of all, it was going to force Near and Mello into an uncomfortably close situation.

Perfect.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: So what'd you think, who's keen to see what Matt and the others have in store? All will be revealed in the next chapter! Feel free to review, feedback and criticism is welcome, and a big thanks to all the people who reviewed the last chapter!_


	12. Chapter 10: The Week from Hell

_A/N: Enjoy people!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

The storms dispersed in the face of the oncoming weekend, the sun penetrating through the thick clouds to saturate in the grounds in sun, drying up the dirt so that students could once more venture outside.

For the group, their weekend began as it normally did, with a trip to Beyond Breakfast Coffee Shop. They'd all piled into the car with the back seat filled with occupants and people sitting on their laps. Near was once more station on the leather lap of Mello, and the blonde jokingly bouncing the little albino on his knee, relishing the way he could cause Near childishly grin. Neo was perched on the lap of Matt and they made crude jokes the whole way into town, much to the amusement of themselves and disgust of everyone else. The only pair not wholly satisfied with their arrangement was Misa and Kiyomi, both of whom sat in a bitter silence the entire trip.

The hours around their reserved table were better than usual, with everyone (except Misa and Kiyomi) laughing and joking, even more so than usual. Their mood was so high that Linda even gave them their first round of drinks for free, not that it mattered really as Neo would always foot the bill, drawing from the endless treasury that was her personal credit card.

Of course, being a Saturday trip to BB's, there was as much happening that was unspoken as there was spoken.

Kiyomi, Light, L, and Misa waited in silent anticipation, their wave of pranks planned for a Monday start. They watched the hapless group around them, none of them knowing what they had planned. Of course Neo and Matt knew that pranks would be happening on account of their having eavesdropped the evening before, but they had no concept of the kinds of pranks they would be victim to. A week of humiliation awaited the other four, with Matt's proposed prank being the jewel in the crown.

Near and Mello were the most vibrant members present, mostly due to their not knowing what the others had in store. They threw comments into the conversation like a chef does with food into a pot, every word adding an extra layer of tangy taste to the already delicious discussion.

'I'm just saying that Mr Matsuda isn't that bad of a maths teacher.' Misa said, she'd always been defensive of the teachers, mainly because he never failed to fawn over her.

'He's an idiot Misa.' Mello said in response.

'You can't prove that!'

'Actually.' Near said. 'I've calculated that he has an approximate IQ of 81, which is below average.'

'Yeah, but you're not like an expert Near, you're only twelve!'

'He's still beating you in every subject.' Mello said.

'And I do psychology, which makes me a more fit judge of Mr Matsuda's intellectual capability.'

'Hmph.' Misa said slumping back into her chair.

'Fuck yeah.' Mello said, high-fiving Near.

Matt marvelled at how far the two of them had come, Mello having even revealed to him the night before that _'even though he's fucking experimenting with me, I actually kinda don't mind the little shit.'_ Words of high praise. Both Near and Mello had come so far in the few short weeks they'd known each other. Mello was calmer (albeit only slightly) these days and also less bored and Near had become more comfortable and outgoing with people, he was averaging, by Matt's calculations, five words per minute this morning, which was a huge step up for the albino.

He almost felt bad about what he was having the others do to them, he could tell neither would appreciate it. _'But they are taking sixteen million years to make a move, they need it.'_ Matt would have been more likely to feel guilty if he knew that Neo felt bad, he wouldn't have wanted to pressure her, but the chances of her feeling guilty were equal to the chances of Misa being seen in the clothes L wore, none.

Neo watched Matt, the way he seemed fascinated by Near and Mello, the way the blonde and albino had seemingly grown both closer and stronger together. However her interest was not in Matt's pet pair but rather an unusual pair she'd noticed the night before, namely Kiyomi and Misa. From the moment she'd set foot in their dorm the night before she'd felt the animosity and tension between the two.

She knew that Light had to be the subject of their feud. Living with Misa meant that Neo knew her very well, and despite never being told by Misa that she had a crush on Light Neo knew very well that there was something going on there. But the introduction of Kiyomi in the mix made the possible reactions far more interesting, like a bomb just waiting to go off. Neo knew she had to interfere, start to play games with them. _'After all, I love games that turn people against each other.'_

Eventually, around midday they finished up, Neo paying the entire bill as usual and they all clambered back into Lights car and drove back to the Academy. The rest of their weekends progressed quietly.

Near and Mello spent most of their time working together on their assignment, reaching the later half of their research. The entire time they observed each other, becoming silently enamoured by their mental and physical intricacies. Mello was starting to really grasp Near's clockwork mind, and the closer they got to finishing the assessment the closer he felt to understanding Near. He'd also grown to appreciate the albino's subtle body language, the difference in meaning between a glance or a stare and the way he didn't sit still, unlike Mello had originally thought, but was rather constantly subtly shifting on the spot.

Near was equally engrossed in Mello, the duality of his persona. It was if he was both a firestorm and serene lake simultaneously, the way he was so emotionally involved in everything and yet thought with clarity and precision. _'If only he could become emotionally detached, then he'd be perfect.'_ Near thought about this, _'perfect?'_ It was an unusual choice of words for him, he didn't believe perfection was possible, but rather a concept that humans would eternally strive for to better themselves. Perfect didn't exist but here he was using it to describe Mello.

' _Strange.'_

…

The weekend passed taking the last of the grey clouds from the storms the week before. In its place was left a dazzling blue, its cool blues covering the horizon and letting the suns rays bathe the grounds once more. In History on the Monday morning Roger seemed keen to take advantage of the good weather, being positively fed up with being stuck inside with all his students. They were told to split into pairs and go work outside.

Near took this chance and, much to everyone's surprise, selected Matt as his partner. As they left the room he cast a glance to Mello, his face was a poor mask for the emotions he was trying to hide. He looked hurt and rejected, Near felt slightly bad about this but knew it would blow over quickly, besides he had things to talk about with Matt.

They found a spot under a large oak tree by the school's large duck pond. The first autumn leaves began to fall around them, floating to the ground, dancing on the slight currents in the wind. Near and Matt had been hard at work but when the leaves had begun to fall they'd stopped to watch instead.

'Pretty sweet.' Matt said.

'Sweet indeed.' Near agreed.

Matt looked over at the albino, he was glowing in the weak sunlight, his white clothes giving him an almost angelic appearance. _'It should really be Mello here'_ He thought. While Mello had yet to figure it out, Near only did something if he felt he could gain from it. Matt had figured it out very early on, and when Near had picked Mello as his assessment partner it meant that Near was trying to gain something from the situation.

Matt didn't know what it was Near was trying to gain from the partnership, but he certainly had a few hopes.

' _But what's he want from me?'_ Matt wondered. _'Near's a smart guy, he likes learning… he wants to learn something about me I guess… but what?'_

'Matt?' Near asked.

'Hmm?'

'Sometimes Mello says you're trying to be 'my big brother', what does he refer to when he says that?'

' _Of course'_ Matt thought, _'this isn't really about me at all, its about Mello.'_ If Matt didn't know any better he would have guessed that Near knew about he and Mello being orphans, despite neither having told him yet. If that was the case then Near had already begun to connect the dots, there wasn't any point trying to hide it.

'Well.' Matt began, turning to face Near. 'You know that Mello and me are orphans right?'

'Yes, Neo told me.'

' _Of course she did, honestly that girl had no regard for peoples secrets, or people now that I think about it, or their belongings, or property in general… she really just doesn't have any regard for anything when it comes down to it.'_ Matt realised his concentration had begun to drift and he returned his attention to Near. The albino looked at him inquisitively, his stormy grey eyes wide with curiosity.

' _Honestly, how can Mello not realise he likes you?' Matt wondered. 'You're just his type, short, pale, smart, cute.'_ Sophie had been not too dissimilar to Near, if you took out the fact that she knew how to dress and talk to people. The difference of course was that Sophie had been manipulative, trying to control Mello. _'But you're different.' Matt thought. 'You you're more… I dunno… but more, that's for sure.'_ Matt laughed out loud at his thoughts, _'huh, that rhymed! And Neo says I have no talent for poetry…'_

Near raised his eyebrow at the laugh.

'Oh, just had a thought.' Matt explained.

Near nodded.

'Ok.' Matt said, returning to Near's question. 'Well to understand what Mello means you have to understand my, ah, past.'

'I gathered.' Near said.

'Really it all comes down to how I was orphaned.' Matt continued. 'When I was little I had a whole family; mother, father, and a little brother.'

'I see.' Near said, his clockwork mind was already racing, putting together pieces of the puzzle, cogs ticking over and making connections.

'When I was about six my parents marriage began to… ah… collapse. My Mum stared arguing with my old man, she thought he was having an affair. Well, home got pretty nasty and he started drinking pretty heavily.'

Near just nodded, unphased by the information. But it wasn't a demanding nod, but rather an understanding nod. Matt smiled, and went on.

'That went on for over a year, slowly their arguments got louder and longer, me and my little brother hid away when they started shouting. I was seven and he was five at this point. Then one night my mum lost it, totally. My dad had been sleeping around with other people and she'd found out.'

'Oh.' Near said quietly.

'That night the fight got really loud, there was a lot of loud smashing and stuff. When it finally stopped I went downstairs to check, and they were both… well… dead.'

'Dead?' Near asked in shock.

'Yeah.' Matt said. 'Suffice to say that the less details about that the better. So welfare people relocated me and my brother and we jumped about from foster home to foster home for a while, we tried to settle in but neither of us could really manage, and the foster people didn't want to deal with it. Then one time the welfare people said that they couldn't find us a house together so we were going to have to be split up until a house came up.'

Near had gone totally silent, but nodded along as Matt spoke, twirling a lock of hair around his finger.

'Well I told them not to, that we were the only family we had and that he wouldn't cope, but the people didn't listen. A week later my little brother had apparently had a sort of fit and then ran off, they never found him.'

Matt had to stop for a moment, Near just waited for him patiently.

'Well I was shattered, he was all I had left, they looked for ages but no one ever found him. Well I had to keep living and eventually I got it together and applied for Wammy's on a scholarship. That's when I first met Mello, we got in together and well the rest you kinda know.'

Matt finished his story and stared out over the lake, watching a family of ducks swim around slowly on the serene water. Near watched him, it certainly hadn't been the story he was expecting.

'So about what Mello said?' Near asked.

'Well I thought you would have figured that little guy.' Matt said.

Near nodded, he had begun to see the bigger picture here. The story Matt had told him fitted with the rest of the evidence.

'Mello thinks you're projecting your little brother onto me.' Near said slowly.

'Bingo.' Matt confirmed.

'And are you?' Near asked.

'Perhaps.' Matt said. 'I probably wouldn't know if I were. But think about this Near, what would an orphan want most of all?'

Near pondered this question, watching the ducks in the lake, the way they swam together, the mother and he flock of children, a whole family of ducks… _'of course'_ Near realised.

'A family.' He said in response to Matt question.

'Yep.' Matt said. 'The way I see it, the four of us, you, me, Mello, and Neo are a kind of dysfunctional family. Or maybe that's me seeing what I want to see given the circumstances. But Near, just remember one other thing.'

'Yes?'

'Mello's an orphan too.'

With that Matt stood and offered a hand to Near, pulling him to his feet with a single tug.

'Time to head back I think.' He said.

The two returned to the classroom in silence, Near and Matt both deep in their own thoughts.

Near twirled a lock of hair around his finger the whole way, he'd never expected Matt's story to be so sad, _'and what had he meant by the last comment?'_ Near thought, _'Is he saying Mello just wants a family, is he looking for a family with me as a part? I don't understand, I don't have all the pieces to this puzzle yet.'_ Matt's story had also made Mello's fascination with Near and his mother make more sense, _'is he envious, bitter? Does he hate the way I treat her, I should explain the situation to him.'_

'Matt.' Near said before they entered the classroom. 'What was your brothers name?'

Matt turned and brushed a stand of maroon hair off his face.

'Kris. His name was Kris.'

Matt gave a small smile, it wasn't it wide beaming self but reserved, a bittersweet smile, a mask. Near returned the favour, giving Matt a shut mouthed smile, binding an unspoken contract of trust between the two, Matt's story was safe with Near. They entered the classroom

The class only ran for another five minutes, with Roger recapping in the notes none of them read and sending them off with an essay for homework. Near watched Mello as they left, Matt's story hadn't helped him deduce much about the blonde but he more fascinating than ever now. Everything about his persona, from his scar to the all leather clothing he wore said something about him and Near felt he almost had the piece of the puzzle that would complete the picture.

The thought was tantalizing.

His musings were interrupted when he and the other three were assailed from above by a wave of ice cold water. In a split second they had been saturated, their clothes clinging to their suddenly shivering bodies.

A chorus of laughter descended down after the water, they cast their glances upwards to see Light, L, Misa, and Kiyomi standing with emptied school bins from which the had just poured the water. Students started to gather around and joined in their laughter, many pointing at Near although he had no idea why.

He looked down at the pyjamas he wore and realised they had gone completely see through; clinging to and revealing every part of his thin pale body. He blushed and looked down at the ground, avoiding the jeering faces of the assorted students.

'You fucking fucks.' Mello screamed up at them. 'Get down here so I can fucking fuck you fuckers!'

'How poetic.' Neo remarked sarcastically, seemingly unphased at having just been soaked.

Roger pushed through the crowd of laughing students and assessed the four of them, a look of contempt spreading across his ancient face. He cast his glance upward to see who the perpetrators were but they had long since gone.

'Did any of you see?' He demanded.

Everyone shook their heads, all the students knew better than to rat. Roger seemed displeased at their apparent ignorance and so set his sights on his least favourite student instead.

'Well Mello, watch your language.' He said, and then turned to leave.

'Oh fuck off Roger.' Mello snapped.

'What?' Roger boomed, turning around quickly his face going red.

The four of them had already bolted, sprinting as far as they could get as quickly as they could go. When they finally knew they were out of Roger's reach they stopped, puffing and shivering at the same time.

'Honestly Mel.' Matt said. 'You had to swear at Roger.'

'Ah fuck him.' Mello said, he then turned to Near. 'Nice jocks, maybe you'll start wearing the clothes we bought you, huh?'

Near just nodded meekly, he knew that he had no defence in this situation and didn't want to anger Mello. The blonde grabbed him by the wrist and began to walk away, pulling Near along like a small disobedient child. He walked them all the way to Near's dorm where he made the albino get them towels and then go find a new change of clothes, Mello did not trust Near to dress himself.

It took three goes but they'd finally found an outfit that they thought suited Near and wasn't a complete diaster. He was dressed in a light grey v-neck with sleeves that hid his hands, and faded black jeans that bunched around his feet. He also had a pair of black shoes on, not that anyone could really tell due to the extra length in the jeans swallowing them up. Near looked like everything he was wearing was two sizes to big for him, he'd had to use a belt just to hold up the jeans.

'Well?' He asked, brushing his dishevelled but dry hair out of his eyes.

'Perfect.' Mello said, with the other two nodding in agreement.

Mello had to admit that when Near was dressed like an actual human being he wasn't actually that bad looking. _'He may even be slightly good looking, in an oblivious and adorable kind of way.'_ Mello would never say it, but he also liked the way that the shirt revealed his very prominent collar bone…

'Well if you're done dressing your model.' Neo said standing and running a hand through her hair as a comb, trying to give it some order again. 'We do actually have class to go to.'

'I thought you didn't like class.' Matt said.

'I don't, but Mello and Near are worse than a couple of girls. As a result class is the lesser of two evils.'

…

The week became a game of cat and mouse between the two quartets, with Near, Mello, Matt, and Neo were soon looking over their shoulder every other second just in case they were sneaking up behind them with another nasty surprise. But despite every cautionary move that they took the others were always one step ahead, lurking in proverbial shadows or around metaphorical corners to strike without warning, operating like a well trained machine, always striking when the others were unsuspecting and getting away before the others even knew what was happening.

Themes also started to emerge with each day, Monday had been water day. First had been the ice bucket attack as the school had taken to calling it, the news of another prank spread around the school like a wildfire, with each student catching and exaggerating the story until the rumour had that Mello, Neo, Matt, and Near had been pushed into the pond. Not only that, but the rumour also grew to include that Roger had been pushed in and they'd been attacked by a band of ferocious ducks. Other pranks had followed on the Monday including a water balloon attack at lunch and someone breaking into Matt and Mello's room and left the sink running for several hours, it was only when someone had noticed the lake of water spilling into the hall that anyone thought to check what was happening.

By the time it reached Tuesday lunch everyone at Wammy's knew to give the four of them a wide berth. Tuesday was 'food day' and they'd been assailed by a magnitude of culinary attacks. They all found their pockets full of olives by the end of the first class, Neo's school book had been drenched in honey, Mello's chocolate replaced with soap, and Matt was hit by three separate cream pies. Additionally Near had also been caught unawares on the way back to his dorm and made into a 'human cake' with L, Light, Kiyomi, and Misa running around him throwing cake and icing mixture at him.

The Wednesday was titled 'animal day'. The pranks were the most horrific to date, with a pack of rats being let loose in Near's room, a hive of non biting ants set upon Neo, and a single spider put in Matt and Mello's room. Both Matt and Mello were terrified of spiders and so despite the fact it was a daddy long legs they had stood on top of their furniture for an hour screaming like six year old girls and trying to push it out of the room with broom handles.

Thursdays prank was far less physically taxing, but the most humiliating to date. The four had gone to class and became increasingly suspicious through out the day at the lack of prank. What was becoming even more disturbing was the trail of laughter that seemed to follow them wherever they went. When Mello had finally snapped and demanded an explanation the girl who had tears building up in her startled eyes on account of Mello's shouting simply told them to 'check the school network.' When they did so they found three videos had been uploaded by 'anonymous'. There was a drunk Neo attempting to rap to a poem but stuttering half way through a stanza and then projectile vomiting. The second video was Matt running around in a dress on a crowded beach, which he had done as a dare during the summer break. The third video was a montage of Mello's middle school photos, including when he had dyed his hair pink. Near was miraculously left out due to the others having no film footage of him.

Near however wasn't going to pretend that the ordeal was over, and if he'd been left out on Thursday then he was going to be hit doubly hard on Friday, he was sure. He spent the morning scurrying furtively from class to class, keeping a constant vigilance. By the time it reached the third lesson of the day, criminology, his nerves were almost at breaking point. Mello seemed equally uneasy, taking loud snapping bites from his chocolate all through the lesson. Both shot glances at Light but he seemed remarkably calm, not the demeanour of a man about to pull a prank.

Mello and Near stood close together as they left the class, glancing all around, finding security in having the other close by, as if their bolstered numbers would somehow deter an oncoming attack.

The attack was not deterred even slightly.

When they were looking behind themselves they suddenly came under attack from the front, with L and Light barrelling into them and throwing them to the ground in the middle of the hall. The goggle eyed students watched as Near and Mello, whilst pinned to the ground, had their hands and feet cuffed by Kiyomi and Misa. They were promptly stuffed into sacks and carried away, protesting loudly but ultimately powerless. The situation evoked a familiar memory in their minds, their deja vu fishing the thought out.

Near had been victim to a very similar set of circumstances before, and there was only one possible mastermind, the puppeteer pulling the strings.

Matt.

Mello cursed his name loudly the entire trip, the endless flow of foul language only ending when he was dropped onto the ground. Near was quiet the entire journey but equally unimpressed, but he knew there was no point in protesting. Both were dropped to the ground with an equal lack of warning, both giving muffled grunts from within their sacks. When they were released they saw that they'd been split up, L and Misa taking Near, Light and Kiyomi taking Mello. Both were sent into the bathrooms of the respective dorms they found themselves in and were instructed to 'get changed into the clothes in there.'

Neither were impressed with the outfits presented.

Mello's protests resumed with a newfound vigour, cursing at everyone and everything. Near said nothing, but the corners of his mouth tightened into the smallest semblance of a scowl.

When they were changed the were tied up all over again and stowed once more into the sacks for another bumpy ride, Mello being gagged because of the amount of noise he was making. The four carriers joked and laughed as the ran, the plan was working perfectly.

It was at this moment that they ran into Headmaster Watari.

'Students.' He said, with lips curling into a small knowing smile.

'Headmaster!' Light said in a surprised tone, his voice hiding the panic that had just seized him.

The others stood in a nervous silence, if he asked what was in the sacks the game was up.

'Having a good day?' He asked politely.

'Um.' Light said taken aback at this, he had not been expecting small talk. 'Yes, very good sir, yourself.'

'It is pleasant enough I suppose.' He said. 'The weather is excellent.'

'Yes sir it is.'

Headmaster Watari smiled at them again, that knowing expression crossing his face, a twinkle in his eyes.

'Very good, well you four may go about your business.' He said.

The others had no idea how to handle the situation, it was all so surreal. They been expecting a lecture and punishment, and instead they'd gotten polite chit chat.

'You're not going to ask what's in the sack?' Misa exclaimed in shock.

'Do you want me to ask Miss Amane?' Watari said with a humoured laugh.

'Well, no sir.' Misa said.

'I presumed as such, that's why I didn't ask.' Watari said. 'I have no intention of punishing you because of harmless pranking.'

'Why?' Kiyomi asked.

'Because you are still young, and us old people sometimes forget what that means.' Watari said. 'We grow old and jaded and forget that to be young is be reckless and bold.'

'I see sir.' Kiyomi said.

They all stood in silence, taking in the headmasters apparent ease at turning a blind eye to their misconduct.

'Well, go on you're way.' He said.

They all nodded and moved to leave.

'Oh.' He added. 'Roger went down that way a minute ago, I might recommend and alternate route.'

'Thank you sir.' L said.

Watari nodded with a small laugh and watched as they took off, running at a high speed. None of them could believe what had just happened, had they really just been stopped by Watari only for him to ask about the weather and approve their pranking? It didn't seem possible.

After several minutes of running they finally reached their destination. Near and Mello were relieved that they'd finally stopped bouncing around and listened for hints about what awaited them. A soft click and a string of giggles found their way into the sacks. Suddenly their sacks were opened, light flooding in and blinding the occupants, the sacks were upended and Near and Mello were deposited onto a cold hard surface with a rough bump.

They turned to look at their kidnappers and realised they'd been thrown into a storage cupboard, filled with old dusty boxes and no more than two meters squared. The large metal door was being swung shut, the others grinning evilly down at them. The door clicked back into place, fitting squarely into its frame and locking shut. From the other side of the door they heard Light whisper triumphantly:

'I win.'

They all laughed and moved off, their voices becoming more and more distant until they were gone.

'Yeah well fuck you too!' Mello shouted, knowing that nobody could hear him.

He turned and sat, leaning back against the door, taking in the situation.

There was one light which bathed the entire room in an old yellow glow, flickering and waning with age. The boxes were filled with nothing but old school files, decades worth of names and dates, employees and students, all sitting in dusty manila folders in tattered boxes.

Even in this situation Mello could still see the humour of the prank, however humiliating it was. Near was dressed in a white shirt and black boxers with pink teddy bears holding large hearts. Mello was dressed only in a pair of very tight red briefs. _'Clearly'_ he thought _'this is meant to be their attempt at karmic retribution.'_

Mello let out a defeated sigh and closed his eyes.

'Well.' He said. 'We're fucking trapped in here.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: What's going to happen with Mello and Near? How long are they going to be stuck in the cupboard together? The tension is sizzling! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, I'm still unsure how I feel about it. Anyway please give some feedback if you are inclined to do so!_


	13. Chapter 11: A Beautifully Ghastly Ordeal

_A/N: And heres the actual chapter for the week! Sit back and enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I won nothing from Death Note._

* * *

Mello and Near had been in the storage cupboard for over an hour now, breathing in the stagnate air, sitting on the dusty floor. They'd occasionally attempted conversation but their defeat and humiliation was too overwhelming, crushing the conversation before it could ever get started.

'Fuck I wish I had chocolate.' Mello muttered, he wasn't sure about it, but he thought he might be going into withdrawals.

'Likewise with my toys.' Near agreed, he'd been starring at the flickering light for a while, watching how the little piece of copper inside strained just to illuminate the small space.

'When do you think they're coming for us?' Mello said, he started rubbing his bare legs, just so he had something to do.

' _Honestly'_ he thought _'I'm going to kill Matt for giving them this idea, I'm stuck in a fucking storage room wearing nothing but some fucking underwear, its not even leather!'_ He glanced over at Near, the albino had his usual straight face on, his expression revealing nothing about what he might be thinking.

As usual the only indicator were his big grey eyes, _'actually'_ Mello realised _'Grey isn't the right word, it's too bland.'_ Near was many things but he wasn't bland, he was complex and hard to read, sometimes cold, _'but also beautiful'_ Mello realized. _'No grey isn't the right word at all, his eyes are… a storm.'_ Mello gave felt satisfied with this, it made sense on many levels. _'They're storm in colour because Near is storm in nature, he dances and shifts, so many patterns and such brilliance. When he strikes it's with power and beauty, its magnitude was so daunting but all I want to do is touch it…'_

Mello shook his head, he couldn't believe what he'd just thought, that made him sound like he had feelings for Near, _'which is utterly ridiculous.'_ Mello thought this over and over, trying to make himself believe the words. But when he looked at the albino, with his white skin like marble, his stormy eyes, and snowy white hair, he couldn't help that think he was beautiful. Until now he'd always seen Near as cute, it was the word Matt had first chosen and it made sense, but it was also the wrong word.

' _Near is beautiful.'_

Everything he did he did with grace, poise, and calm, like an artist. Mello realized that it was mesmerising, the way his eyes would always be searching and observing, the way he would always be calculating and balancing, his clockwork mind ticking over slowly.

But now his eyes were still, he just stared at the light, blinking occasionally but doing little else. The way he sat there, no thoughts racing through his mind, he wasn't thinking, he wasn't feeling, he was just sitting there. Mello found it awful, he'd never seen Near so distant, he wanted the thinker to come back.

'Hey.' He said. 'What're you thinking about?'

Near blinked several times like a surprised puppy, he looked at Mello.

'Well… nothing I suppose.'

'You suppose? That doesn't sound like you.'

Nears eyes filled with thought again, the dark cloud that was his iris beginning to stir into life. Mello eased a bit, but not much, this was more like Near but he still seemed so distant. The blonde had to bring him back, had to know what was eating at him. But he couldn't find the words to say, he searched for a way to engage Near, to figure out his thoughts but the blonde couldn't find it.

'This is a pretty ridiculous.' He said, indicating to himself and Near.

' _This is pretty ridiculous?'_ He thought, _'I'm the fucking ridiculous one! That was so shit! Why am I so nervous around him suddenly, its not like I like him or…'_

Mello was hit with an unforseen thought, did he like Near? He was such a pain, and so weird, but now that he was stuck here with him he was staring to… _'No its fucking stupid, there's no way I…'_ Mello tried to think the end of the sentence, he willed himself to find the words, to prove that he was wrong.

He couldn't find the words.

Near looked down at what he was wearing, the teddy bear patterned boxers sat loosely on his thin lugs. He looked over at Mello, the red briefs leaving very little to the imagination.

'Yes, I suppose this is ridiculous.' He agreed.

Mello looked up at Near, internally sighing with relief. _'He agreed, he doesn't think that comment was stupid.'_ Mello still was sure how to handle his sudden epiphany about his feelings toward Near, this whole situation was so surreal, so unlikely that Mello simply couldn't think of a next logical step.

All Mello knew was that he had to say something, he had to explore this situation and his newfound feelings. If he let the momentum fall then he might never get another chance. He was feeling so elated and confused at liking Near that he had to do something. Mello opened his mouth to speak, unsure what he was about to say but knowing he couldn't let silence fill the room:

'Yeah… I mean like whaythethfusk…' He said, several words colliding into each other a resulting in nothing but gibberish.

Mello had to fight the urge to go red from embarrassment, he just lowed his head, letting his hair hide his eyes. _'Now Near will think I'm an idiot. This whole situation is a mess and its all Matt's fault for putting me here…'_ His mental self-depreciation was interrupted by the most unexpected of sounds.

A laugh.

It wasn't a cruel laugh or a laugh of superiority but rather a stifled laugh. He looked up at Near, his normal emotionless expression had been replaced with a wide smirk. He laughed again, letting the noise flow freely from his lips. It was a cute laugh, the kind of sound that you got when someone's attempting to be polite but the situation is too amusing.

Near leant back, opening his mouth and letting the laugh flow freely until it trickled down into a small giggle. He looked back at Mello, his eyes filled with true bemusement for the first time. The blonde was unsure what to make of the whole situation, Near had never laughed like this before, or ever, now that he thought about.

'I apologise.' Near side, partially covering his mouth so as to stop giggling. 'But what was that?'

Mello closed his eyes with relief, a grin spreading over his face. _'Near doesn't think I'm a fucking idiot.'_ In fact the effect wasn't judgement but quite the opposite. The albino looked more relaxed and happy than Mello had ever seen him before. _'It suits him.'_ Mello thought.

'I don't fucking know.' Mello said. 'Slip of the tongue.'

'It must have been from that soap that you ate on Tuesday.' Near said devolving into giggles again.

'That's rich, coming from you cake face.' Mello retorted.

'Excuse me.' Near said with feigned anger. 'That's Mr Cake Face.'

They both erupted into a completely new wave of laughs.

…

Matt, Neo, L, Light, Kiyomi, and Misa all sat around in Light and L's dorm, lounging about of the black and white furniture. They were making good conversation, throwing around words and making playful banters and witty remarks. However there was an undercurrent of competition.

Neo sat making only the occasional remark, instead she was both fascinated and frustrated beyond belief by Kiyomi and Misa. The two girls slyly attacked each other, Kiyomi using her superior intelligence to push down Misa whilst Misa in return fought back with he bubbly personality trying to wrong foot the dark haired girl. Their cutting remarks were seemingly slipping below the radar of every male present, not that this came as much of a surprise to Neo.

Light, famous for his obliviousness when it came to women who had a crush on him just talked as usual, paying no regard to how the girls verbally rattled sabres. L was his usual apathetic self, more interested in the plate of sweets on his lap then anything anyone in the room was actually doing.

And then there was Matt.

He'd been paying no attention to anything but his laptop, which displayed live footage of what was happening in cupboard. He'd set up and camera and speaker which he had surreptitiously hidden so now he could observe, as put it, 'Near and Mello coming together at last!'

'I don't know Kiyomi.' Misa said with a smile. 'I always found short hair to be very… masculine.'

'I'd prefer masculine hair to anything particularly… childish.' Kiyomi shot back.

'Light?' Misa said. 'What do you think?'

'Oh I, ah…' Light said.

'Yeah Light.' Kiyomi agreed.

'I um…'

He was saved having to answer by Matt suddenly saying 'woah' far louder than he had intended. Everyone diverted their attention to him, questioning looks on their faces. Matt lifted his goggles and hit the side of his head to make sure he'd seen and heard everything correctly and he had. The red head looked at everyone else with a look of utter glee on his face, as if he'd just won the lottery.

'Mello just stuttered.' Matt said.

Nobody reacted to this.

'And Near just laughed.'

Still no reaction. After several second Misa spoke up:

'Is that it?'

Matt rolled his eyes, and played the video back again for everyone. Near's adorable laughter was appraised by the others, making their judgements as to just what this did or didn't signify.

'It certainly is cute.' L said.

'But I'm not sure I shows Near likes Mello.' Light added.

'Mello's stutter was pretty terrible.' Kiyomi added.

Matt groaned at all of them.

'You guys just don't get it do you?' He said.

'You're deranged.' Neo said. 'When I suggested locking them in a cupboard you knew I was joking.'

'I know, but it was a good idea.'

'And I in no way thought that they should be half naked or filmed.'

'Yeah yeah, but if things get saucy than I can sell it as porn.'

'You're disgusting.' Neo said with a grin, she didn't approve of Matt's porn fascination but she liked his way of thinking.

Matt returned his gaze back and stared at the screen, lowering his goggles back down over his eyes so that the lenses displayed a perfect reflection of hat was on the computer. Everyone else decided it was best just to let Matt be and return to their conversation.

Neo considered what this implied, it meant even more of Kiyomi and Misa verbally beating each other to death. While she had found it amusing and entertaining she knew it would grow old far too quickly for her liking. She tightened her scarf and took action.

'I've had a thought.' She said standing, grabbing Misa and Kiyomi by the hand. 'We need to have a ladies talk or conference or whatever the hell it's called.'

She dragged the two girls out the door. They shared a look of confusion that quickly shifted into their normal passive aggressive stare filled with animosity.

'We'll be back later!' Neo called with a fake cheeriness that came off all too sarcastically to be believed.

Neo dragged the two girls by the hand out of the building and across the patch of grass to a table underneath a pair of arching trees. Misa and Kiyomi complained the entire way, claiming that Neo could 'let go', but Neo just didn't give a damn. Students that they passed gave them puzzled looks, wondering what it was that Neo was doing or trying to achieve. Misa and Kiyomi giving these students begging expressions, pleading them to help their escape but everyone knew better. Nobody ever wanted to cross Neo.

When they reached the table Neo hurled the girls onto the chairs. Both gave Neo and angered expression whilst rubbing their red wrists.

'You could have just asked you know.' Misa said.

'I know.' Neo said. 'But half the fun was in all the pain I caused you.'

Neo gave them a smug look; they just rolled their eyes.

'So.' Kiyomi said, crossing her legs and regaining her poise. 'Why are we here.'

Neo turned a chair spun a chair around, sitting on I back to front. Her lungs rested along the chairs back legs and her stomach was on the chairs back.

'I called you here.' Neo said. 'Because you two need to sort it out.'

'Sort what out?' Misa asked.

Neo shot her a disappointed glare, her expression darkening dramatically.

Misa gulped.

'We're here to sort out this whole situation with you two and Light.'

'Oh.' Misa said.

'Because honestly its pathetic.'

'Oh.' Misa said in a very different tone.

'You two are mature enough to handle this properly and quite frankly you're managing the situation like jealous children. Now we are not going back until we have found some way you can resolve the situation like adults.'

'Yes mum.' Kiyomi muttered under her breath.'

'What?' Neo said, her expression darkening even further.

This time it was Kiyomi's turn to gulp.

'Nothing.' She said.

'I didn't think so.' Neo spat.

Neo then readjusted her scarf, and eerily cordial expression replacing the her more normal scowl _. 'Good.'_ She thought. _'I have them totally scared, now we can get things done.'_ It was a tactic Neo had been using since she was five, pretend to be angry and people are far more willing to agree and listen to you.

'Now.' Neo said. 'I have a way in which we can solve this issue.'

'Go on.' Kiyomi said.

'The way I see it, neither of you are doing yourself any favours by attacking each other, it makes both of you look petty.'

Misa and Kiyomi nodded at this, they knew Neo was right. It wasn't the fact that she was right but the fact that they'd sunk so far. While they'd never been particularly close they'd never had wanted to turn on each other, but now they'd become childish and jealous.

'So.' Neo continued. 'The best way to solve the situation is to let Light choose for himself. You two can try to entice him but ultimately the choice is his.'

Kiyomi and Misa nodded at this, it seemed fair enough.

'The only rule is that you two may not verbally attack, you cannot try to make the other look the fool, and you can not be intentionally vindictive. You can compete as much as you want but no nastiness. If I find out that either of you break this rule, and trust me I will, I'll boil you alive and feed your remains to the ducks, capiche?'

Kiyomi and Misa winced at the last part but nodded all the same, the rest was fair enough.

Kiyomi was relieved actually; she'd hated the way she'd sunk so far, _'over a boy of all things!'_ While Neo was horrific, hateful, and horrendous, her rules were actually smart. It saved Kiyomi for becoming a fool again and saved Neo herself from having to deal with their stupidity. It was a win win, _'well except for Misa, how on earth will she beat me if she has to prove her own worth!'_ Kiyomi felt like cackling but realised that was probably a tad overdramatic.

Misa was equally pleased with this arrangement, _'After all, when I comes to being nice, nobody is better than me!'_ She felt as though Neo's proposed rules saved her from having to compete with Kiyomi directly and now she could focus on really winning over Light.

Neo just felt like shaking her head, both the girls seemed so set upon getting Light. Neo almost felt pity for them; she knew there was more to their personalities than a desperate pursuit of a man. Kiyomi was savvy and smart, more than capable of standing up for herself and Misa was beautiful and an enchanting performer, but right now they seemed so small and pathetic.

Neo wondered why they were both so desperate for Light but pushed the thought away realising that she didn't actually care.

'Well.' Kiyomi said, uncrossing her legs. 'Is that all?'

'I guess.' Neo said. 'But I don't really feel like going back yet.'

'Why not?' Misa asked.

'It's nice weather I guess.'

That was true. The weather was very pleasant, the cool autumn breeze washing over their faces and the setting sun warming them again with its last brilliant rays. Together they balanced out to create the perfect temperature, that perfect warmth that filled you with energy.

But this wasn't why she wanted to stay outside.

The truth was she didn't know why, but right now she couldn't really handle being around boys. _'They're so idiotic sometimes.'_ She thought. _'Especially Matt.'_ She didn't know why the red-head was grinding her gears so much, normally he was the one person she always had time for, always so laid back and calm. But at the moments she felt so mixed when he was around, as if there was a battle taking place inside of her. One side wanting to pull him even closer, to enjoy his company, and the other trying to push him as far off as she could manage.

Having your mind play tug-o-war with indecision was not pleasant and right now Neo could do without it for a few minutes.

'It is very nice.' Kiyomi agreed.

'Hey!' Misa said, a thought crossing her mind. 'We should stay out here, actually have a girl talk!'

Kiyomi was startled by the idea; she spent so much of her time in a man's world doing science that the thought of actually just talking to girls seemed foreign. But it was also a comforting, relaxing concept. She also realised that she still wanted to keep Misa as a friend, doing this would be a perfect way to ensure that they didn't become foes.

'Yeah, we should.' Kiyomi said with a little nod of agreement.

'Neo?' Misa asked.

Neo thought about it, _'how long has it been since I had a proper girls talk.'_ She could remember the day perfectly, nearly six years ago. It had been a cold morning; she and her mother had been looking out over a lake, mist rising off it as if the earth was breathing into the new morning. She'd never had a girls talk since. _'And now they're offering.'_ Neo felt her mean exterior fall away, _'maybe I need this, lets give it a go.'_

'Sure, why not?' She said.

The three continued on to talk for nearly two hours, letting the last of the day pass them by. It was only when the entire campus had been swallowed by shadow and darkness, with small lights illuminating island patches such as where they sat, that they realised how long they'd been there.

…

Near and Mello were both clutching their sides, going sore from laughter. They'd been throwing jokes and quips back and forth for nearly half an hour now. Mello had to admit that Near's constant piercing observation gave him a certain edge, that when he felt like using, allowed him to cut straight to the bone with his comments. None of them were cruel or ill intentioned, just jarringly accurate.

Mello had to admit it was surprising to see just how natural the albino looked, sitting in a relaxed posture, a cheeky grin on his face. _'It suits him, just as much as the thoughtful expression.'_ Mello was starting to become worried, now that he knew that he had feeling for Near he could feel himself falling far too quickly. He'd been shocked to find out just how far his feelings stretched, it was as if he'd sunk waist deep into quicksand and he'd only now noticed just where he was.

The real question, the unanswerable question, was did Near feel the same way.

Mello couldn't tell, Near was still so complicated, so many unseen sides to his personality. The only way he was going to find out was by asking the albino, not directly of course. So when he and Near finally calmed down, he devised a question which he hoped would give him the slightest bit of understanding.

'Near.' He said, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

Near looked up, his grin fading back into the normal calm and calculating expression. The albino had felt the shift in Mello's attitude the moment he'd spoken, the way he said his name, it was so calculated, as if he'd considered just how long to linger on a single syllable.

'Hmm?' Near said.

As he spoke he mimicked Mello and brushed his hair out of his eyes, it was an easy psychological trick. You just mimicked an action of the other person and they immediately felt more invited. It made them more forthcoming.

Mello saw Near mimic his movement, he'd set it up to see just how aware the albino was. The fact that he'd done that meant that Near was already very aware that Mello was planning something. _'Shit, this is gonna be tricky.'_ Mello wanted to find out how the albino felt, but his constant observation and analysis was going to make things difficult.

'Well, I was thinking right.' Mello began.

'Yes.'

'And I thought, well, you never actually explained why you picked me as your partner for the assessment.' Mello said.

'No, I suppose I haven't.' Near agreed.

'So, why did you?' Mello pushed.

Near considered this question, truthfully he had no idea why he'd picked out Mello. He found the blonde to be intriguing and complex and that stimulated him, but he couldn't identify a particular aspect about him. _'Perhaps that's it'_ Near thought _'Perhaps it's the concept of Mello as a whole and my want to comprehend it, but why am I drawn to him?'_

'I don't know.' Near answered honestly.

'Hmm.' Mello muttered.

He looked Near up and down, staring into his eyes, trying to find a sense of dishonesty or calculation, but he couldn't see it. For the very first time he'd seen Near totally honest, without pretence. Even before when he'd been laughing he'd wanted not to, Mello could tell that he'd been restraining himself. But here, Near was open, a door unlocked, just waiting to be understood.

He seemed so vulnerable.

'Why did you agree?' Near asked in return, not looking at Mello directly.

'Well I… guess I wanted to know why you'd picked me.' Mello said.

'Do you know yet?'

'I think I might be getting close.'

'Tell me when you do.'

'Why?'

'Because if I understand you then I might be able to understand myself.'

Near was shocked at that last comment, he didn't know where it had come from, it had just exited his mouth before he'd had time to think about it. _'That's what I get for not being controlled'_ Near thought, he knew it had been a mistake not calculating his words. But he'd had to know how his perception of the puzzle would alter if he was honest with Mello. He could see now, Mello seemed softer, but he couldn't fathom how it fit with what he already knew about the blonde.

Mello was equally shocked by Near's last comment, he'd never expected to get and answer like that from Near. _'Even when he's being honest he's still fucking surprising me!'_ It seemed strange, but when Mello considered what he knew about Near it made sense. _'Maybe he's searching for knowledge about himself and he hopes to find it in others?'_ It seemed unlikely to Mello, but then again so were the chances that Near would ever have said what he just said.

Mello thought about how Matt had masterminded this whole situation, how it seemed he'd know about how Mello felt for Near long before the blonde himself actually realised. _'Maybe there's a method in his madness.'_

'Mello.' Near said, interrupting Mellos thoughts. 'Seeing as we're being honest here…'

'Yes…' Mello said.

' _This might be my chance, my chance to get an 'in' with Near.'_ Until now Mello had always thought that in regard to understanding the albino, but now it was more about being with him. Mello was still reeling from this revelation but he wasn't about to let a chance pass him by.

'Can I ask you another question?' Near said.

'Only if I can ask you one.' Mello replied.

'Quid Pro Quo as it were.' Near said.

'You've spent to much fucking time around Neo.'

'Perhaps, but yes, I will answer your question if you answer mine.'

'Shoot.'

'Well its to do with the fact that you're an orphan.' Near began, Mello furrowed his brow, this was not what he'd been expecting. 'I talked with Matt about it and he told me his story, and I was wondering, how did you become an orphan.'

Mello thought about how to answer this, he'd never told many people, and until now there was no way he would have told Near. But when he looked at the albino, his storm eyes both calm and turbulent, a beautifully balanced maelstrom, he knew that he could trust him.

'Well you see I don't really remember my life before I was an orphan.' Mello began, unlike Matt who'd become distant when he'd told his story Mello seemed more grounded. 'When I was still little my fucking mum left me at an orphanage. She left a note with me, apparently she was to poor to keep me, so she gave me up in the hope I might find a better life.'

'Do you remember her at all?'

'A little, I know she had hair like me but the darkest brown eyes.'

Mello paused to think about this, his azure eyes looking back down the lanes of days long since gone.

'Anyway.' He said, returning to the present. 'My question now.'

'Go on.' Near said.

Near wasn't worried, in fact he could almost certainly predict the question Mello was about to ask. He was going to ask about why Near had frozen up on the night of the big revenge prank, what had frightened him so much. Near was prepared for that question, he was more than willing to answer. _'Come on Mello.'_ Near thought.

'What's the deal with you and your mother?' Mello asked.

Near's perception of reality shattered, smashed by the unforseen question, _'What?'_ He thought. _'But this doesn't match my prediction, where did this come from? This makes no logical sense!'_ He just sat there in silent shock, for the first time Mello had surprised Near.

…

Light, L, and Matt sat around in a comfortable silence.

The three of them found that when the girls had left they had seemingly taken the conversation with them, leaving the boys with little to talk about. L had thought that it might happen, Kiyomi and Misa's desperate attempts to out do each other in front of Light had been spurring the conversation on for far longer than its natural life-span and when they'd gone they'd taken that spark of unnatural life with it.

Now they fallen into a silence, the three of them working on their own separate projects. Matt still sat watching what was happening in the cupboard, like a child seeing a movie for the first time. Light had gotten out his history homework and begun working at it, scrawling down names and dates. It was highly likely that he'd be the only person who actually handed it in. L crouched on a chair, stacking sweets higher and higher on his plate, he wanted to see if he could stack them above his own eye level. The tower wobbled precariously, ready to crumble at any moment, but L continued stacking sweets all the same.

Finally Light broke the silence.

'Guys.' He said. 'What am I going to do about Misa and Kiyomi?'

Both Matt and L turned and gave Light a surprised look. So swiftly had L swivelled to look at Light that his movement generated enough wind to send his sweet tower toppling over, and he was so surprised that he didn't even care.

'I thought you hadn't noticed.' Matt said.

'How could I have not?' Replied Light.

'Because you have a history for having a girls romantic advances fly straight over your head.' Remarked L, he sighed and began to pick up the sweets.

Light rolled his eyes.

'I know I can be oblivious sometimes…' Light began.

'More like all the time…' Matt said.

'But there's a difference between romantic advances and predatory circling.' Light finished.

Both Matt and L conceded a nod at this. Light was right of course, Misa and Kiyomi were like vicious cats circling, just waiting for the other to misstep so they could pounce.

'Well, what should I do?' Light asked again.

Matt thought about this, his mind raced through the hundreds of options and arrived at this best possible one given the situation, the one he believed any sane man would go for.

'Threesome.' Matt said proudly.

Light just gave him an unimpressed look.

'What?' Matt said defensively. 'You asked for my opinion.'

'Your serious opinion.' Light said.

'I am serious.'

Light just shook his head and turned to L for his answer. The raven haired boy was rummaging under the couch, reaching for the last sweet that had fallen to the floor. His expression rose as he found it and pulled it out, holding it close to his eye in admiration. It was covered in lint. All of a sudden L was far less pleased with his find.

'L?' Light said.

'Hmm?' L mumbled.

'What do you think I should do?'

L shrugged. Light wasn't surprised, he hadn't expected anything from L, but sometimes he came out with gems of wisdom despite his total lack of experience in so many facets of life. Light turned back to Matt again.

'Any other ideas Matt?' he asked.

'Follow your heart.'

'Ha ha, very funny.' Light said humourlessly.

'No I'm serious.' Matt said, turning to face Light. 'Have you actually thought about which one you might want?'

'Well no…' Light said.

'Why not?'

'Because they're my friends, I can't choose…'

'Sure you can.'

'But…'

'Without thinking about it, just pick one.'

'What?'

'Just do it.'

Light was about to do as Matt demanded, but before he could speak they were interrupted by a very large woman at the door. Adeline. Her eyes were filled with rage, her dark face contorted into a contemptuous sneer. She certainly wasn't a small girl, but her menace seemed to fill the entire room. Nobody was looking at the door, nobody heard her enter, but they all felt her presence. They turned to face the girl.

'You!' She shouted at Light, her double chin trembling with anger. 'You leeft moi, where were you? We were suppoosed to wurk on our assessmeent!'

Light look terrified, if Misa and Kiyomi had been predatory cats then Adeline was a bear. A very angry bear.

'Adeline I…'

'I dew not want to 'ere it!' She yelled, cutting Light off. 'You treat moi like some second class citeezen! I will not stand for eet!'

Matt and L grinned, this whole situation was hilarious. Light going toe to toe with the one girl her couldn't charm, and she was gunning for him with everything she had.

'Listen, Adeline…'

'No! You Listeen!' She screeched. 'I waited in ze library for an 'our and you do not show! Then I come ere and you are sitting aroond like some lazy potato! I will not be ignored you ignorant fool, you ridiculous bourgeois! You…'

Matt cut in over the top of her shouting with an over-dramatic cry.

'You empty-headed animal food trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!'

Matt finished, looking very pleased with himself.

Adeline was not.

'You stay out of this you red-heeded baguette!' She turned back to Light. 'You will come with moi!'

She took Light by the arm and dragged him out of the room, angrily continuing her list of insults as she hauled him out. Light gave L and Matt a pleading look, begging them for help, giving them an expression that promised he'd do anything if they saved him.

Anything was not enough.

As much as they felt sorry for their friend, Matt and L valued their own lives more. But as Light was pulled out of the room Matt saw it, saw the expression that crossed L's face for the briefest of seconds.

Matt knew what it was of course, _'longing.'_ Honestly, the red-head was surprised that people didn't come to him for relationship advice more often, he was far to good at picking how people felt. Matt knew that while he would never act on it, L felt something for Light, and L knew it too. But instead L seemed content to watch from the sidelines and never make a play himself, never try his luck with Light. _'Some day…'_ Matt mentally promised L _'Some day when I've finally sorted out Mello and Near.'_

Matt returned his gaze to the live feed of the dusty old cupboard, things looked like they were about to get interesting.

…

'My mother?' Near asked, still caught completely off guard by the blondes question.

'Yes.' Mello pushed. 'Your mother, why are you always so… I don't know… cold with her.'

Near's expression fell, sadness crossing his face. Mello just watched, the effect the question was having on Near was startling. He'd never seen him look so hurt before, like Mello had just sliced open a very old wound. _'I probably have'_ Mello realised, but he wasn't going to go back, Mello had to know what caused Near to have such an openly emotional response.

Near didn't say anything for a dozen seconds. Then another dozen. He just pulled his bears legs light against his chest, breathing uneasily, looking as if his stormy eyes were about to give way to a rain of tears. Mello moved and sat next to him, a few inches separating the two, trying to be a comfort to the hurt boy. He didn't know what he could say or do, so he just vowed to wait.

'My mother.' Near began with a shaky voice. 'Had a mental illness. She was diagnosed with emotional detachment… she was detached… with me. She couldn't love me, I looked like the man who'd broken her heart and left her with an unwanted child. For the first ten years of my life she never… was a mother. She said things, terrible things, unforgivable things, to me.'

Mello just sat in silence, this hadn't been the story he was expecting at all, Near had surprised him again, and it was the most bitter surprise of them all. Near continued on, his voice cracking with every second word, tears ready to flow forth at any moment.

'There's no 'cure' for it, you just have to wait. And I waited for ten years, ten years for her to heal whatever wound had caused it, but by the time she had healed I couldn't love her. It's ironic really. I wanted nothing more than to be able to love her, to feel safe when she held me, but the damage had already been done. I can't bring myself to forgive her, I just can't.'

'I understand.' Mello said quietly.

Near looked at Mello, for the first time he understood why he'd been fascinated by the blonde, why' he'd been drawn to him. _'I see it now, we're the same…'_ Near wanted to pull Mello in, keep him close, because they both understood what I meant to be rejected and grow up alone. He wanted to hold Mello tight in the way that he never could with his mother, because he knew the blonde understood.

Mello met Near's stare, he could see something connecting in the albino's eyes, he'd just realised something, and that stare… Mello knew what Near had realised. Mello knew what to do.

He slowly inched his hand over to Near's never looking away, holding the boys attention. He placed his hand slowly over Near's, feeling the way his fingers slid through the groove of his knuckles, the way his hand glided over the soft pale skin into position…

Near pulled away.

Near pulled his hand away before he even had to opportunity to stop it. Memories played through his mind, those memories, that night. He knew they were unconnected but in that moment Mello had triggered those memories, his kindness only reminding Near of pain.

'Wait…' Near said, reaching back for Mello's hand.

Mello withdrew his hand, hurt written across his scarred face. Near knew the damage had been done, in that moment when Mello's hand connected with Near's the albino had known it was right, what he wanted. But he'd pulled away. And there was nothing he could do.

Near tried to think of something to say, something to repair the situation, but everything sounded so awful, so pathetic. _'I am pathetic.'_ Near thought.

The two sat in total silence, feeling trapped by in the dusty old room, with its files and records, all stored away. Now it had a new piece of information to store, the room would forever remember what had just passed, its old walls forever containing this moment.

Matt watched from the other end of the hidden camera in silence. His design had crumbled from beneath him, the architectural masterpiece being swallowed up by unforseen circumstances and leaving a sinkhole in its wake. He'd hoped for so many things to come from this situation and for a second when Mello reached for Near it seemed they had.

But those hopes had been dashed against a rock by a cruel mistress who went by the name of chance.

Matt and L quickly went and let Near and Mello out, there was no point letting that situation go on for any longer.

They all walked back to their dorms in silence.

Near didn't feel he could look at Mello and Mello couldn't bring himself to look at Near.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Things are heating up, oo la la! Any feedback about this chapter of the vignette are welcome! Also, a big shout out to the people have reviewed thus far, you guys are amazing and I really love your feedback, you're all total 11/10's!_


	14. Chapter 12: Miscommunications

_A/N: here's another chapter for you guys, enjoy the feast. Also a big shout out to my favourite super hyped reviewer, you know who you are, your reviews always bring a smile to my face._

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

'Dammit Near!' Mello screamed, cratering the wall with his punches. 'God. Fucking. Dammit!

Neo and Matt watched Mello's barbaric barrage of the wall in silence, his angered screams echoing _around_ the room, his pain and betrayal reverberating and lingering in the air. With every word he punched the wall again, his knuckles starting to bleed. So angrY was he, that he hadn't even taken the time to change out of the red briefs, but had instead immediately begun attacking the wall when he arrived. Neo and Matt both knew that they couldn't intervene, they just had to wait until the storm had calmed.

'He never thinks anyone except himself! Fuck him! Damn him! Fucking damn him! I open up to him and he just throws it in my fucking face! He's so fucking selfish! Dammit!'

The wall gave a sickening crunch like the crushing of bones as Mello delivered one final punch. He then sank to the floor, resting his forehead against of the wall, closing his eyes in an attempt to shut out reality.

Matt and Neo both rose from where they sat to inspect the damage inflicted upon the wall. A small draft flowed into the room, Mello having broken through the entire wall, leaving an open wound to the cold night. _'Damn its getting cold'_ Matt thought, they were only half-way through October but already the wind was biting with the frosted breath of winter. _'There's going to be early snow this year.'_

Matt and Neo both sat down next to Mello, watching his body raise and fall with each breath, his lungs reaching for new air. They just waited; there wasn't really any other option, waited for Mello to finally turn around. It was a kind of unspoken signal with Mello, if his back was turned, no matter the reason, you just didn't speak to him. You waited for him to catch up and feel ready. _'Such a baby'_ Matt thought wryly.

Finally Mello turned around, leaning his back against the wall.

'Well if you're done being a five year old maybe we can discuss the problem.' Neo began dryly.

'Neo don't…' Matt said quietly, it really wasn't the time for her zero-shits attitude.

'I swear to fucking god Neo, if you don't shut up I'll…' Mello warned.

'What?' Neo challenged.

'I'll fucking…'

'What? Come on.' She taunted.

'Neo…' Matt whispered, the alarm in his voice rising.

'No.' She said, cutting across Matt's warning. 'What will you do Mello?'

'I'll fucking… I dunno, but I'll fucking do it.' Mello said with gritted teeth.

'Just as I suspected.' Neo said.

'Fucking what?' Mello said.

'You're not really angry.'

'Um…' Matt began sceptically.

Mello sighed, she was right. Sure he'd broken straight through the wall, assaulting it like a man possessed. Sure he'd just screamed about Near for the last five minutes, no doubt letting everyone in the building, including Near himself who was just down the hall, know just how angry he was. Sure he'd done all that but deep down he knew, and Neo certainly knew, he wasn't really angry.

Hurt. Yes. Betrayed. Maybe. Humiliated. Certainly. But angry? At Near? Deep down, no.

He wanted to blame Near for the entire debacle. _'His stupid fucking sob story'_ , as he called it, had caught the already off-balance blonde by surprise. Mello had let his irrational, emotional mind become his master and he'd acted on impulse without thinking about the consequences. Mello wanted to blame Near so much, but he knew it wasn't the albino's fault.

'So.' Neo said. 'I never saw the camera feed, what happened?'

It was true, Neo had no idea what was going on, she'd just heard Mello's shouts from outside and decided to join. She loved unpleasant situations.

'Matt… had… a… camera… in… there?' Mello said slowly.

'Um…' Matt said with a nervous laugh. 'Maybe yeah…'

'Oh.' Neo said with heavy sarcasm. 'Well that's just so awkward, I didn't mean to let that slip. Didn't know that you didn't know, I'm so…'

She searched for the word, wracking her brain. It was difficult going, she hadn't used it for a very long time.

'…Sorry.' She finished, turning toward an empty spot of the room and winking.

'Get fucked Neo.' Mello said, then added. 'And who'd you fucking wink at?'

'Just our audience.' Neo replied.

'What?'

'Nothing stupid.'

'Fuck off.'

Then Mello remembered; he'd been filmed. The whole humiliating situation had been filmed by a particular 'friend'. He turned to face Matt, his face fuming, _'you fucking goggle fucking faced fucking piece of fucking shit'_ Mello thought. There were a lot of things Mello wanted to do Matt, no of them were pleasant or pretty. There were also a lot of things Neo, who was watching, wanted Mello to do to Matt. Her personal hope was for an enactment of the ancient law 'if your eye causes you to sin, cut it out.' She smiled gleefully and tightened her scarf. She could only hope.

'You fucking filmed me?' Mello said.

'Well… kinda yeah.' Matt said with a shrug.

'Why?'

'Because I…' Matt began.

'… was hoping Near and I would get it on for your viewing pleasure?' Mello finished.

'Yeah.' Matt said lamely.

Mello sighed and rubbed his temples, he was tired and this entire day had been a total nightmare, ' _It had looked so good this morning!'_ Mello thought. _'There'd been a Turkish Delight chocolate and everything!'_ But unfortunately the day had gone to hell and Mello was left feeling as if he'd just been beaten with a stick all day. He looked at Matt, who smiled nervously, really the red-head had his best interests at heart, even if he expressed that in a completely psychotic and ridiculous way.

'Ok.' Mello said, and stood to go get a chocolate.

'Ok?' Matt said, relieved. 'That's all?'

'Yeah.' Mello said as he poked around the fridge. 'I figured Near and I not doing anything was punishment enough.'

'So there's not going to be any physical abuse?' Neo asked, disappointment in her voice.

'Nah.' Mello confirmed.

Neo stood and moved for the door quickly.

'Well I'm leaving in that case, this suddenly got a lot less interesting.'

She opened the door and left quickly, her black hair and red bomber jacket dissolving into the dark hallway in a matter of seconds. Mello and Matt just watched in amusement as she left.

'Sometimes.' Mello said as he chewed some chocolate. 'I just don't fucking get her.'

'She's odd that's for sure.' Matt agreed.

'Don't get me wrong, she's great and funny, but fucking weird.'

'You just need to look harder, take more time to understand.'

'Like you do?'

'Something like that.'

'I don't think I want to understand her, I'll probably end up scarred for life.'

'I don't think so Mels, she's just a big softie deep down.'

'Yeah right.'

'You'll be surprised.'

'I've had enough surprises for one day thanks.'

Mello took the final bite of his chocolate and trudged off slowly, moving toward the wardrobe. When he got there he began sorting through the unsightly pile of clothes within, he and Matt had had a system of organization for the first week of last year. However, they'd both given up fairly quickly and just threw all their clothes into one large pile. It was a small miracle when they found two matching socks.

'Looking for some clothes?' Matt asked, watching Mello's butt wiggle around as he searched.

'Nah, I just want some leather undies instead of these stupid fabric ones.'

'Hey!' Matt said in indignation. 'Don't speak about my clothes that way!'

Mello snapped around to glare at Matt, a mix of disgust and horror swirling around in his azure eyes.

'These are yours?' He shrieked.

'Well yeah.'

'I thought they were Lights, or even better, new!'

'Nope. I'm the only other guy roughly the same size as you.'

'I think I'm going to throw up.' Mello said, his face going slightly pale. He resumed his search and after a second shouted 'aha!'

'Found some?' Matt asked, turning to face Mello.

Mello had already changed and was now wearing a tight fitting pair of black leather briefs, a happy look on his face.

'You good?' Matt asked humorously.

Mello nodded.

'Right.' Matt said going to turn on his Nintendo 64. 'In that case we can talk about you and Near.'

Mello sat down next to Matt and armed himself with a controller. For the next few minutes the two propelled their characters (Bowser for Mello and Princess Peach for Matt) around the track, the ancient graphic struggling to keep up with their intense race but giving the entire game a homely disposition. Finally Matt decided to begin his questioning.

'So.' He said, not taking his eyes from the screen. 'I saw the whole hand holding thing, but what were you thinking.'

'What do you mean?' Mello asked.

'Like, when did you suddenly go, 'well hot damn, I'm down for Near'?'

Mello laughed.

'Well I certainly didn't think those words.' He said.

'You know what I meant Mels.'

'Yeah I guess.' He said, he was trailing just behind Matt, trying to cut past him at each turn in the track but failing. 'I dunno, we were just sitting there and he was fucking quiet and I was just watching and then, I don't fucking know… something just fell into place I guess.'

'Hmm.' Matt said. 'And what'd you think of Near's… ah… story?'

'Shit, it must have be awful.' Mello said sympathetically.

'Ya-huh.' Matt agreed.

'I dunno.' Mello said. 'Maybe that wasn't the best time to come onto him.'

'Maybe not.' Matt agreed.

'Like you'd fucking know.'

'Shut up.'

Matt and Mello exchanged cheeky grins and then began another race, replacing the bright greens of Mario circuit with the ominous grey's surrounded by an orangey hell scape that went by the name of Bowsers castle. Matt and Mello deftly weaved their virtual characters between the other racers, avoiding pitfalls and using every aspect of the track to their advantage. Mello raced well but he was no match for the superb Matt, who sent Princess Peach rocketing around the course and coming in a distinct first, followed nearly half a minute later by Mello who arrived in a convincing second place.

When they finished Matt dumped his controller on the couch and went to the fridge. He rummaged around in it, the weak light spraying a pitiful glow into the dark room. After a few seconds he emerged with a red bull. He returned to the couch and sat down.

'Here.' Matt said, offering Mello a chocolate that he must have gotten whilst he was getting the red bull.

'Thanks.' Mello said.

The two enjoyed a peaceful silence, consuming their respective consumables.

Mello cast his mind over the last twenty four hours, his sudden realisation about his feelings for Near had set ripples and waves throughout his mind and they'd yet to settle fully. He tried to traverse his thoughts, navigate and map them, understand them. But he couldn't. The tides within his head pushed him to act, he wanted to have Near. Not just because of his newfound feelings, but because of his story. He and Near were more kindred in spirit than he had realised, and right now the small boy was lost at sea, just as he had been. Mello wanted to be the one to bring him home.

Matt watched Mello, the blondes body language and expressions were calm, collected, showing none of the emotions or thoughts in his mind. Matt had seen this only rarely, he was thinking about something, committing to a course of action that he intended to pursue. All Matt could do was hope to guide him.

'Matt.' Mello said. 'What should I fucking do?'

'About Near?'

'Yep.' Mello confirmed. 'I royally screwed up today, I just assumed…'

'Well don't.'

'What?' Mello said, turning to face Matt.

The red head lifted his goggles to stare the blonde down, the azure meeting the emerald.

'Don't assume.' Matt said.

'But…'

'Near's not like Sophie, he's complex and thoughtful and…'

'I know all that.' Mello said.

'And he's unsure.'

'But he's always so… certain.'

'He's still just a kid, remember how you were at his age?' Matt asked.

Mello cast his mind back, at Near's age, twelve going on thirteen. He'd been a ball of fury and bitterness, lashing out and damaging anyone that stood to close. _'But Near internalises.'_ Mello thought. _'Which means he won't lash out and hurt others… just himself.'_

'So what should I do?' Mello asked.

'Talk to him about it, let him set the pace.'

'But…'

'He's probably uncertain Mels. He's twelve, and he's just had a guy come onto him. He's probably worried what his mum would think and worried because he might feel the same way and he thinks there's something wrong with himself.'

'But there's nothing wrong with being gay.' Mello said, slightly outraged at Matt's words.

'I know Mel, but he doesn't yet. Just talk and be patient.'

Mello leant back into the couch, taking this all in.

'Ok, I'll try I guess.'

Matt lowered his goggles back down, _'my work here is done. For Now'_

'Come on.' Matt said, picking up his controller. 'One more game.'

'Ok.' Mello said grinning. 'Just one.'

The two were up for several more hours, hypnotised to the screen, watching as they sent their virtual racers hurdling around the virtual tracks. They eventually just fell asleep where they sat.

…

Kiyomi sat at the table, the rest of the Halloween Ball committee babbled loudly, their words mixing into a single endless chorus of white noise. Instead, Kiyomi stared out the window, looking at the orb that hung in the night sky, a white stone in a black ocean. She thought back to an old folk story her mother had told her when she was small:

"…Chang'e, as a banished deity, could no longer return to heaven, but Earth too was now beyond her grasp. She drifted to the desolate Moon. There she spent the rest of her days in a lonely palace, weeping bitterly for he lost love, Hou Yi, who was condemned to live a mortal life..."

Her Mothers words still seemed so fresh, the words forever laced with the crisp syllables in which she spoke. When she was young, Kiyomi had wondered why her mother told her a Chinese folk tale rather than a Japanese one. But as she had grown older, the beauty of the story replaced the need for a rational explanation until now it was engrained into her very being.

"… Once a year, the gods grant Hou Yi the right to ascent to the skies to be with the one whom he loves. On that one night, the harvest moon shines the brightest and fullest of the years, reflecting Hou Yi's love for Chang'e…"

Kiyomi had never been fond of fairy tales, she'd never wanted to be the damsel in distress, or saved by a knight in shining armour. She had trusted in science and reason to guide her, she could break love down into a series of chemical reactions, and that had always given her clarity and direction, with a level of confidence and independence the other girls could never have.

"… Hou Yi had to feast on a peach from the Garden of Western Paradise. The Peaches granted long life, and as long he ate he could be with Chang'e again, making the Moon shine brightest for one night of the year."

Kiyomi pulled a little pendent out from underneath her shirt, it was fashioned in the shape of a single golden peach. She turned it in her hand, watching the way it shone and glowed. Kiyomi had never wanted to be the damsel, never wanted a Knight, never believed in fairy tales or happy endings.

Until now.

She knew that she had to beat Misa, she knew that for whatever reason she had fallen for Light. Her rationality and calm was gone, science held all the answers, but suited none of her questions.

' _I am Chang'e…'_

'Earth calling Kiyomi…' A voice said, breaking through Kiyomi's thoughts. 'Kiyomi are you there?'

'Hmm?' Kiyomi said, turning to face them.

'So she is in there.' One of her associates said.

'Sorry.' Kiyomi said, becoming flustered. 'I was just distracted…'

'I'll say.' Another agreed.

'What were you thinking about?' A third asked.

Kiyomi looked back out the window, a small smile growing on her face. She'd been thinking of so many things, the implications of which were limitless.

'The Moon.' Kiyomi said.

The other all moved to look out the window at the Earth's great satellite, its pale face washing light across the earth's surface.

'Its beautiful.' Someone said.

'A full moon.' Added another.

'No.' Kiyomi said. 'It's the penultimate moon, the full moon is tomorrow. But I like this one more.'

'Why?'

'Because with the penultimate moon, there is always time for tomorrow.'

The others absorbed this, uncertain as to Kiyomi's meaning behind the words.

They shrugged and returned to work, picking out tablecloth colours and a music list of the night that was now only two weeks away.

Kiyomi continued her stare out the window.

…

L and Light sat in a mutual silence, both pouring over their own work. Adeline had kept Light out until very late, he'd only returned back in the last half hour. The brunette was positioned on the top bunk, organising his vast array of notes in binders. He'd always taken a certain level of glee in putting everything in order, seeing the level of control he had in any situation.

Control.

It was something he valued dearly but as of late seemed to be losing it. Misa and Kiyomi were both setting the pace, making him the passenger. He wasn't sure he liked it all that much, Light knew he wanted command over the situation and that he wasn't going to be given it. He wasn't sure what he should do about them at all. He liked both of them, but they'd always been friends, with an unspoken line that neither party would ever cross.

But now both had stepped over the line, entered an arena that Light himself was being pushed into against his will. He didn't know which, if either, of them he should choose. _'Maybe I should just choose neither'_ Light thought, but he knew that it would never work. The two girls would continue their advances until they lost interest, not the other way around.

' _Maybe I could pick someone else.'_ Light considered this, it seemed like a sound option, just find a third party to use to dissuade the girls, resolve the situation by rejecting both. But Light knew there was no one he could actually pick, Kiyomi and Misa were the closest it came to girls at this school he would actually go with.

'L, what should I do?' Light asked, repeating his question from earlier that day.

'I don't know Light.' L replied.

That was not entirely true, L did have one idea as to what Light could do, something that L also found very agreeable. _'Choose me.'_ That was all L had to say, but he knew he would never make his lips form those words.

'I was thinking maybe I could find someone else, a third party as it were, and use them to resolve the situation.'

'That seems like a sound alternative.' L agreed.

' _A sound alternative.'_ Those words seemed very cold and distant to L, like he had built a great chasm between them. _'Alternative.'_ If he suggested himself that's all Light would see him as, just a tool to get his way. Light could be so selfish and hurtful and he'd never even know he'd done anything, he just burnt people who got too close.

'You think so?' Light said.

'I do.'

'Do you think you know anyone?' Light asked.

' _Me.'_ L thought, _'You could choose me.'_ He wanted to say the words, wanted Light to hear them, understand them, but there was no way he'd say it. _'You burn people Light Yagami.'_ L couldn't understand why he felt the way he did, what had driven him to develop these feelings. But maybe he didn't want to know. He just wanted to be able to say the words, _'Me, you can choose me.'_

'No.' L said. 'I can't think of anyone.'

…

Misa sat alone in her dorm, music bouncing around the room, its strong guitar and harrowing lead vocals mixing in a beautifully dark piece. The words of the song were in Japanese, Misa loved all music, but her favourite was always Japanese. She couldn't listen to it as often as she would like, Neo had a strong hatred for words she couldn't understand. But right now Neo was out and Misa could sit absorbing the words, they translated to:

"I'm falling down into my shadow

Holding my breath

The deadly night is waiting

Don't be scared

of the pumpkin carriage the witch drew

Cuz it can show in your eyes

See you in your dreams

Yeah baby, even if it's a nightmare

Fairy Blue

For you I'll smash the stars

and put them on display

Black Paper Moon

If you believe in me!

When you're lost "here"

I am... "forever" with your soul

If you look up, just like the shining moon..."

Misa held in her hand a little notebook she'd been given by her father the day before she started this year. Illustrated on the cover was a water coloured painting of Red Camellia's. The water colours made them look soaked and imperfect, floating on a crystal lake, doing nothing but existing.

Misa had always loved Camellia's more than any other flower, it was what she had grown to miss most from home. They may be scentless but their beauty was exquisite.

She would often go out to the pond behind their house and just watch them for hours, the way they floated on the glassy water doing nothing but being. They were beautiful because they were scentless, beautiful because beauty was their only purpose.

She'd often felt that if people were flowers then she would have been a Camellia.

Neo entered the room, her face dominated by the unhappy expression that Misa had come to expect from her. Neo slumped down onto the couch on Misa's side of the room, a waterfall of her black silk hair flowing over he shoulders.

'I'll get the music.' Misa said, placing down the empty notebook.

'Leave it.' Neo said.

'I thought you didn't like Japanese music.'

'I don't.'

Misa just shrugged, Neo often made even less sense than she did now, she'd just come to expect it from the girl. Once Misa had tried to figure out Neo, but she'd only found herself becoming confused, she simply made no sense. Neo's love for Latin and literature seemed to contradict her love for damaging property. Equally her unhappy disposition and desire to see people equally unhappy just didn't make sense with her Greek heritage. And then she was rich, but she had always seemed to hate it.

No sense at all.

But then again, Misa thought, neither did she.

' _I'm a Camellia…'_

Her thoughts drifted slowly to Light. He'd been the cause of so many problems recently, both internally and externally. She liked him, and so did Kiyomi, and it made the whole situation a mess. Misa was torn between her will to keep things balanced and happy, and to keep herself happy.

' _But would Light ever choose me anyway?'_ Misa thought. _'After all, I'm just a Camellia, beautiful, but with no scent. None at all.'_

…

Near was surprised when Mello arrived at his room at the normal time on Sunday. They hadn't said anything at all the previous day when they'd gone to BB's, an air of uncomfortable tension filling the room. There'd been polite conversation but nobody had been able to hold a discussion for very long. Even Linda felt it when she brought around their drinks and for the first time was slightly grateful when they left. The rest of the Saturday had been spent in isolation, with everyone hiding themselves away from everyone else. Nobody it seemed, wanted to confront any of the herd of Elephants that was in the room.

Near knew that Mello was hurt, embarrassed, and angry. What was worse was that Near felt the exact same way about himself. He'd just been pulled into the moment without warning, the emotions he so rarely addressed coming into the fold with startling power. It had been terrifying, Near had no way of handling the situation, no defence mechanisms. But it had also felt right.

Mello had made sense to him, he had at that moment fitted as perfectly in Near's mind as their two hands had fitted together. And then Near had pulled away. That moment resurfacing and taking control. Near knew it wasn't Mello's fault, he couldn't have known.

No, Near was angry with himself. Furious even. He'd hurt Mello and he'd damaged everything that the two of them had built over the last month with a single involuntary action.

It made Near want to be sick.

He begun to plan, try and figure out a way to rebuild what he had broken, work back to where they had once been. And then Mello had shown up at his door. Near honestly had thought Mello would be a no show, he'd been planning for it. But now here he was and Near was thrown back into deep water once more.

'Hey.' Mello said as Near opened the door.

'Mello.' Near said in surprise.

They just stood staring for several moments.

'You going to let me the fuck in?' Mello asked.

'Of course.' Near said.

Mello walked over to the couch and sat down. Near approached a moment later, having gotten a chocolate first. He gave the chocolate to Mello then said:

'Shall we go from where we left off?'

' _Where we left off?'_ Mello thought, _'He's keen, maybe I won't have to wait so long after all.'_

'Ok.' Mello said with a grin, he waited for Near to make the first move.

Near made a move. He sat down and began stacking dominoes, building a wide tower that reached for the sky, trying to breach it. Mello was confused, this wasn't what he'd expected, he couldn't figure out how this differed from how he and Near normally behaved. _'Does he actually want to keep going?'_

Near was equally puzzled, Mello wasn't reading out anything. He was sure he'd just communicated that they were going to continue their assessment work from where they had left off. _'Did I send a wrong message?'_ Near wondered.

'You can start reading out the assessment whenever you're ready.' Near said without turning.

' _For fucks sake.'_ Mello thought. _'He was fucking talking about the assessment.'_ He'd come to expect surprises from Near and this was no different, just another surprise. Except this meant Near was trying to act like nothing happened between them, like the entire incident never occurred. Mello felt slightly insulted but decided to wait, he just needed to let Near make the move, _'besides, he probably into work before play.'_

The two of them continued their assessment work, finishing their research and beginning to collate it into a coherent response.

Near tried his best to keep his cool, he'd decided the best course of action was to let Mello set the pace. _'He's more experienced and knows what he wants after all.'_ Near knew that he wasn't even certain about his feelings, so letting Mello take the lead was the safest bet. But surprisingly the blonde wasn't making any moves, he was staying passive. ' _How unlike him.'_

Mello was getting frustrated with Near. The albino seemed content just to ignore everything but the work completely, behave like there was nothing usual. _'He's not even fucking looking at me, damn him! Its childish and pathetic. What's he doing, waiting for me to make the first move?'_ Mello felt his temper rising but knew there was no point in getting angry.

Instead he waited.

Near waited also.

The hours ticked by they continued to plough through the work, both waiting.

The sun was sinking low on the horizon, Near's tower was growing higher, almost complete. Still neither made a move. Mello shut his book, deciding to draw a close to their work for the day. _'He's got to say something now, he can't keep ignoring this.'_ Mello thought.

'Is that all for the day?' Near asked, trying to draw Mello out into talking about the real issue.

'I guess.' Mello said slowly, waiting for Near to show a sign he was about to address what had happened in the cupboard. Mello could feel his temper rising quickly.

'Well.' Near said, he guessed Mello was willing to leave the problem for another day. 'Good night.'

Mello snapped.

'Are you fucking kidding me!' He screamed, kicking Near's tower, bringing his boot within centimetres of the albino's face. He couldn't believe Near, he'd waited all day for him to say something and now he was just going to brush him off. 'Are you fucking serious?'

Near was confused. He wasn't certain what he'd done but it had caused Mello to explode. It was the exact opposite to what he'd wanted to achieve.

'Mello…' He said.

'No you piece of shit.' Mello said viciously. 'I waited all day for you to say something about what fucking happened in the cupboard and you just brush it off like it never fucking happened. Well fuck you too.'

'Mello I…' Near said, he realised now, he had to fix this, he couldn't stand to worsen the situation.

'I don't give a fuck Near! I just fucking thought you might actually do something, behave like you fucking cared!' Mello's faced was beginning to go red. 'But I guess you fucking don't. You never think of anyone but your own fucking self. God, I'm so fucking stupid!'

He marched to the door and left before Near could sat anything, slamming it behind him.

Near just stared at the closed door, feeling everything crumble around him. He didn't do anything, he didn't move for the door, he just sat there reeling at Mello's verbal assault. He'd just created the situation he wished to avoid, he'd made Mello angry and he'd pushed him further away.

His head began to sink. He curled up into a ball, trying to hide himself away.

' _I'm such an idiot.'_

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: The situation just goes from bad to worse with Mello and Near, and the plot thickens with the others, but fear not my dear readers, there is hope on the horizon! Please feel free to throw feedback my way, and stay tuned for the next chapter!_

 _Note: the song Misa is listening to is 'Black Paper Moon' which is the second opening theme from Soul Eater. I'd seriously recommend listening to both opening themes and of you have time giving the anime/manga a look, it's good stuff._


	15. Chapter 13: The Hedgehogs Dilemma

_A/N: Here be another chapter, read and enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: Much to my own personal disappointment, I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

It was late; the stars had been unfurled across the night sky for hours already. They came into view as Neo climbed the last steps, ascending to the roof of the dorm building. The roof was covered in the dropping of birds, dusty leaves, and fluidic mirrors that displayed a glimpse of the expansive night sky, left there by the last rain.

She pulled her scarf slightly together around her neck and zipped up her scarlet jacket, _'its getting cold already, I hate it.'_

And on one corner of the roof, perched on the very precipice between safety and a speedy decent was Mello. In one hand he held a small torch, and the other a little astronomy book. His leather clothes were soaked in the faded half-light of the moon and the glimmer of stars, shining like the galaxy's edge in the natural light show.

'Jesus.' Neo said, making Mello jump. 'Just jump already'

Mello turned and glared at Neo, his azure eyes sending a silent question, _'how did you know I was up here?'_

'Come on.' Neo said, sarcasm dominating her words. 'Everyone knows you sneak up here sometimes.'

'They do?'

'No I said that because I like the sound of my own voice, yes everyone knows you twit.'

'Oh.'

She moved and sat next to him, letting her black jean clad legs dangle over the edge of the building. She felt the rush of energy enter her body, that strange little voice in her head urging her, willing her to jump. She knew better of course, but it was always there, that strange desire shared by all humans to take the leap, to see what it would be like to jump.

She looked over at Mello's book, the page was open to an illustration of a constellation, a string of three stars forming its enter, anchoring the others around it to create the abstract image. Neo knew which constellation it was, but she asked anyway.

'Which one?'

'Orion.' Mello said.

He pointed up into the night, outlining it. Neo leaned over following the direction of Mello's bare arm _'how can he not have a jacket on? It's freezing. Maybe he'll die of frostbite.'_ Mello traced out the arms, running down to where a shoulder and then lowered his point again, running the imaginary line through its centre, Orion's belt, and began the trace up the other side.

'So whys it you and not Matt?' Mello asked as he finished. 'I thought you would have taken Near.'

'Normally yes, but Matt did such a shit job with his last advice that I decided to come up here and throw something your way, speaking of which.'

She'd been holding a thermostat in one hand the whole time. She passed it over to Mello who looked at it with a raised eyebrow.

'Its hot chocolate, not booze you dingbat.' She scolded.

'Thanks.' He muttered.

'Besides, I already drank all the booze.' Neo added quietly.

Mello allowed himself a small laugh at this and poured himself a cup of hot chocolate. He sipped at it slowly, letting its warmth permeate through his chilled body. Neo sat in silence, enjoying the night sky display. Finally, after several minutes she interrupted, saying in a beautifully lyrical tone, letting her natural Greek accent dominate:

'Piercing the night sky is he,

The constellation,

Beautiful and fragmented.

My heart aches to spend the night,

Staring into him,

Hunting the blackened oblivion,

With mine eyes

Scrying the uncountable expanse.'

She finished, rolling each 'r' with a pure and letting every 's' slide slowly of her tongue, the sibilant sound lingering in the air. She looked out of the corner of her eye at Mello, he just stared up into the night, letting her poetic performance wash over him.

'It's how you feel about him, isn't it?' She said.

'You always have a poem don't you…'

'Isn't it?' She said, her words cutting across Mello's with intolerance.

'Yes.' He confirmed. 'That's how I feel.'

He leant back, leaning on his elbows and staring up at the full moon. Its pock-marked face, covered in craters and shadowed divides, seemed so distant and whole. From where they sat it looked light a beautiful white jewel a God had hung in the night sky, displaying it for them to marvel at. Neo waited for Mello to continue. She and Matt had their own tactics with Mello, Matt would pander and be patient, letting Mello set the pace. She however treated him like an equal, never demanding, but never putting up with his attitude if he felt like dishing it out.

'He just makes me so angry.' Mello continued after half a minute, just as Neo had expected him to. 'I can never pick what he's thinking or feeling for sure, I just want him to be less closed. It just, God, it just makes me so fucking mad. It's like he afraid of me and keeps pushing me away. I don't want to have to climb a mountain to be close to him.'

He finished his monologue and drank the last of the hot chocolate letting, refilling the cup moments later.

' _Just as I expected.'_ Neo thought. _'No wonder Matt's advice didn't work.'_ She watched Mello pour the dark steaming brew into the lid cup, and screw it back shut again. He drank, sipping at the steaming substance, then blowing at it, helping the night air take away its stinging bite. He took another longer sip; the drink was more moderate now.

' _He's just so oblivious sometimes.'_ Neo thought. He needed to hear what she had to say, she gathered that he understood Near but didn't quite get him yet. He saw how his mind functioned to a degree, but Mello wasn't connecting different parts properly, wasn't really understanding how Near's past would influence him.

She spoke up again.

'Mello.'

'Hmm?'

'Have you ever heard of the Hedgehogs Dilemma?'

…

Kiyomi sighed as she walked back to her dorm, she could have sworn that during the meeting time had been stuck in a mire. She hadn't been able to keep daydreaming after she'd been caught staring at the moon; the others dragging her unwillingly back into reality. So she had sat and listened to the other planners bicker over every small detail.

She really did want to be on this committee, she just didn't want to have to deal with the initial planning. Kiyomi was waiting for the night of the Ball itself, seeing the fruit of her labours, watching people enjoy the evening, her patience having finally paid off.

Now she walked back to her dorm, putting one tired foot in front of the other. She was almost at the building when she stumbled on an unlikely surprise:

'Oh, L.' She said.

'Hello.' He replied.

L was perched on a bench, sitting directly under one of lamps, surrounded by its ghostly white sheen. The light was but an island in the sea of shadow around it, singular and lonely in the vale of night. It was as if someone had laid the moon onto the ground, and now L sat where it was.

' _The moon…'_ Kiyomi turned and looked up into the night sky, finding the celestial jewel. _'The penultimate moon, still time for tomorrow… still time for Chang'e…'_

'Its marvellous tonight.' L commented.

Kiyomi moved and sat next to L, the two fixing their sights onto the white onlooker in the sky. She enjoyed this about L, he didn't feel the need to comment, and instead they marvelled and appreciated in silence. They sat there for several minutes, until Kiyomi finally broke the silence:

'So, why are you out here?' She asked.

'A difficult question to answer.' L responded cryptically.

'Try me.'

She watch L out of the corner of her eye, he pondered this. Kiyomi could tell because he nibbled at his thumb, an unconscious habit he'd possessed for as long as she'd known him. She could only guess what had driven him out here, L was always honest but never provided the truth, instead layering his words, hiding their meaning in the abstract.

'I came out here to get away from a fire.' He finally said.

Kiyomi felt like shaking her head, _'what had I been expecting.'_ It was a typically ambiguous answer from L. The fire could have meant a great deal of things; literal fire (however unlikely), a heated discussion, perhaps the heating in his room was turned up too high, Kiyomi really didn't know.

Then it struck her, she did know, and it made perfect sense, because she understood all too well at the moment.

'You mean Light, don't you?' She asked.

'What brought you to that conclusion?'

'Fire would be an apt description for him.'

'Why do you say that?'

'Because he warms people near him but he burns them if they stand too close.' Kiyomi explained, surprised at her own words.

L gave her a sideways glance, a mildly impressed look on his face, high praise from him. She pretended not to notice, basking in the silent appreciation from the raven-haired boy.

'What makes you think Light burns people?' L asked, his investigative side beginning to show.

Kiyomi gave L a questioning look, her expressions asking 'do you actually want me to answer that?' They both knew what the answer was; it seemed obvious really, anyone, even Misa, could figure it out. L shrugged and said:

'I just want to hear how you phrase it.' He explained.

'Fair enough.'

Kiyomi thought about L's question, what exactly was it that made Light 'burn' people. The obvious answer was that he drew people closer and then treated them like objects, pieces in an eternal chess game of his own design, but I was more complicated than that. _'He doesn't mean too.'_ Kiyomi thought. _'He just pulls in people so quickly that they collide and ricochet before he realises what he's done.'_

The best example Kiyomi could think of was an occurrence from the year before. Sophie (a beautiful dark skinned girl with the face of an Egyptian queen) and Mello had been dating for several weeks and were growing quite close. While they were together Light and Sophie met and grew quite close until one day she broke up with Mello for seemingly no reason. Sophie confessed to Kiyomi that she'd asked out Light that same afternoon, but he'd rejected her saying 'I couldn't do that to Mello.'

' _He burnt Sophie and he burnt Mello, and he never meant to do it.'_ Kiyomi thought if was horrific, almost a curse, he would always hurt those around him.

'What makes me think Light burns people?' Kiyomi asked, repeating L's question.

'Yes.'

'Well…' She began.

…

Misa sat by the edge of the pond, a bag of bread sat next to her. In her hand she held a single slice, slowly tearing it into bite sized pieces and throwing it to the anticipating ducks. They squawked and flapped around, causing ripples in the water, disturbing the serene reflection of the night sky.

She began to sing as she fed the birds, her soft voice filling the void of the night, her silky words flowing and contrasting against the violent flapping of the ducks wings:

"Fly me to the moon

Let me play among the stars

Let me see what spring is like on

A-Jupiter and Mars

In other words, hold my hand

In other words, baby, kiss me

Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more

You are all I long for

All I worship and adore

In other words, please be true

In other words, I love you

Fill my heart with song

Let me sing forever more

You are all I long for, all I worship and adore

In other words, please be true

In other words, in other words…'

Her vocals built with the last lines, her notes holding for longer. She readied herself to finish the song off, throwing the last of the bread slice into the water. She was about to hit the crescendo and powerfully sing the final lines when she was interrupted by someone else. They made her jump, finishing the final lines of the song with a more masculine and operatic voice.

'…In other words

I love you.'

Misa turned to look at the mysterious singer, they stood twenty feet away shrouded in a veil of shadows, a mere silhouette in the darkness. She squinted, trying to make out their features, _'he seems familiar...'_

'I didn't realize you liked Frank Sinatra as well as punk rock.' The figure said, stepping forward, their features becoming more apparent.

'Light.' Misa said in surprise.

'You shouldn't be out so late,' Light said.

He sat down next to her and reached into the bag, extracting a piece of bread, which he began to tear up and throw to the ducks. Misa watched him, the way his perfect physique was revealed by the pale moonlight. He tensed and threw in a piece of bread, then another, and another, Misa becoming slowly hypnotized by the action.

'So are we jus going to sit here and feed ducks?' Light asked.

'No…' She mumbled dropping her head.

' _He must think I'm so stupid.'_ She thought bitterly. Normally intelligence wasn't an issue for Misa, she had long accepted that she was gifted in her own ways. She could sing, dance, and act, she modeled and had been in two movies already, a great career blooming ahead of her. Yet recently she had felt inadequate compared to the others. _'They're all so smart.'_ She thought to herself, _'And then I'm here struggling to pass Math.'_

'You ok?' Light asked. 'You're normally more talkative.'

'I dunno.' She said quietly. 'I have a lot on my mind I guess.'

'Hmm.' Light mumbled, sending another piece of bread flying toward the mouths of the ravenous ducks. 'Like what?'

' _Like you.'_ Misa wanted to say. _'Like the fact that I'm so small and stupid compared to everyone, especially you. Like how I can't possibly compete with Kiyomi and how she's going to end up with you because she permeates the perfect perfume and I'm just a scentless camellia blossom._ '

'Nothing.' Misa said.

'I see.' Light said.

'See what?'

'The issue here.'

'There's no issue…'

'Yes there is.'

Misa sighed and lowered her head, letting her long flowing blonde hair fall over her eyes. _'He knows, he always know.'_

'You're right, there is an issue.'

'May I guess?'

'Be my guest.'

…

Matt had been looking around the grounds for almost an hour now, Near wasn't in any of the usual spots. He'd checked Near's room and under his favorite oak, he'd look in the gazebo and in the forest, but there was no Near anywhere. Matt was returning to his dorm when he had stumbled upon the little albino.

He shone brightly in the moonlight, his pale face and snow hair bursting with light like a beacon in the night. He was half hidden in the middle of the schools Zen garden, a choice of horticultural design that Matt had never entirely understood. During the day it was where the smokers liked to convene and light up, permeating the air with obnoxious smokes, sometimes Matt would join them.

But right now the air was smoke free and beautifully crisp, the cold autumn air holding a slight chill, the first signs of winter. Near seemed oblivious to it, he just sat in the middle of the garden, on top of a gravel patch. The gravel had been split into a beautiful Ying and Yang symbol, with black and white gravel being perfectly arranged.

Near currently sat on top of the white dot in the middle of the black half of the circle, staring up at the night sky, transfixed by the starry spectacle. He was dressed in tight red skinny jeans and a black and yellow jumper, but still wore only white socks on his feet. _'You'll still wear the clothes Mello bought you, even when you've fought'_ Matt thought, _'how sweet.'_

'Hello Neo.' Near said without looking, alerted by the sounds of Matt's footsteps.

'Actually, it's me. Sorry to disappoint.'

Near looked at him in shock, obviously having expected Neo to come rather than he. Matt could understand his surprise, he'd been surprised as well, it was an established fact that he understood Mello and Neo understood Near. But she had insisted that they swap their targets, she hadn't explained her reasons but she'd been emphatic enough to convince Matt (and the fact that she had threatened to give him a vasectomy with a pair of scissors if he didn't comply had no influence either way, thank you very much).

'I thought Neo would have been sent to speak to me.' Near said puzzled.

'Same, but here I am anyway.' Matt said with a shrug.

'Would I be correct in assuming she's with Mello then?'

'I'd say so, yeah.'

'Talking to him as you are likely about to do with me?'

'Or murdering him slowly and painfully, there's a 50/50 chance it'll go either way with her.' Matt said with a small chuckle.

'True.' Near agreed.

Matt looked at the little albino; he'd pulled his knees to his chest, holding himself in a foetal position. Locks of his snow hair fell down over his face, running down his skin like rivers of melted ice. Matt lifted his goggles, ready to help Near face whatever issue he had.

'Near…' Matt began.

'I failed.' Near said.

'What?' Matt said, taken aback.

'I failed. I pushed Mello away again, I don't know what I was thinking, I thought he would want to take the lead, so I tried to let him and I failed. I pushed him away and failed.'

' _He thinks its all his fault.'_ Matt realised. Something fell into place and Matt understood Nears thoughts, not the way he thought, but what his thoughts pertained to. _'He blames himself, he thinks he can't blame anyone else ever.'_

'Near, don't…' Matt said, beginning to assure him.

'Don't pander to me Matt.' Near cut across. 'I failed today, I wanted to let Mello in and instead I locked him out.'

'No Near…'

'I failed, Matt.' Near repeated again. 'I spent so long afraid of letting anyone close to me, letting anyone see how I feel, and I was right to do so. I'm a broken, hollow shell, I'm a robot, I'm…'

'Near stop…'

'I failed, Matt.' Near shouted.

Matt gasped, he'd never heard Near shout before, but the albino just had, emotion running through his small voice, giving it life. _'He's hurting.'_ Matt thought. _'He's hurting and he doesn't even really know why.'_

'Near, its not your fault.'

'No!' Near shouted back, his voice cracking. 'You don't get it, its my fault, its all my fault, I failed, its always my fault!'

Near buried his face into his knees, hiding away from Matt, hoping he'd go away, just leave him alone. Matt shifted closer to Near, until they were practically rubbing shoulders. 'He doesn't realise.' Matt thought. _'He doesn't see that he's angry with his mother, not Mello, not himself.'_

'Near…'

'Does Mello hate me?' Near said quietly.

'What, Near why would you…'

'Does Mello hate me?' Near asked again.

'No.' Matt said with certainty.

'But how do you know?'

'Because he screams and shouts and smashed things every time you hurt him, he feels it deeply Near. People don't get angry like that over someone they hate, they ignore and carry on. The fact that he angry doesn't mean he hates you, do you know what it means?'

'No…' Near said feebly.

'It means he loves you.'

'What?'

'He loves you.'

Near reeled at the information, _'how can Matt drop this on me now, what should I do?'_ Near tried to organise his thoughts, mentally map them in a functional manner so he could start to comprehend them. _'Ok, question one, do I love Mello too? Answer: …'_

' _Yes, I think I do.'_

At this revelation alone Near was astonished, he hadn't realised how deeply his feelings ran, how connected he'd become to Mello. He didn't know how to feel, his impulse and desire told him one thing but his rational mind another. _'Okay, question two, what should I do? What is best for Mello?'_ Near thought about this and reached a conclusion:

'I'm going to cut myself off from Mello.' He said.

'What?' Matt exclaimed, turning and shaking Near by the shoulders. 'What do you mean 'cut yourself off'?'

'It's the kindest thing to do.' Near said.

'Kind!' Matt spluttered. 'Kind? Near I just said he loves you and your response is to push him away even more?'

'Yes.'

'Why?'

'Because all I do is hurt him.' Near explained. 'It would be better for both of us in the long run if I distance myself.'

Matt shook his head, he couldn't believe Near. _'You just don't get how people work do you?'_ In one way it made sense, cold hard rational sense, without a trace of emotion. But people weren't robots and Near needed to understand that, rationality and logic wasn't always going to be right.

'You can't do that Near.'

'I don't understand…'

Matt pointed at the stars, Near followed with his gaze, staring up into the vast expanse.

'Near, what do you see?'

'Stars.' Near said in a matter of fact tone.

'I see connections between people.'

'Matt…'

'Hear me out, I'm about to have a John Green moment here.' Matt said. 'We all see those stars, they're the same stars that people on opposite sides of the world see. We're all connected like that, in ways that we don't realise. We share in your life just like we share this sky. Every action hurts someone or heals them, we can't pretend we live alone when we're just one star in a night sky.'

'So…' Near said.

'You have to sort this out, find a way to make it work.'

'But what if we can't work, what if I fail again?' Near asked.

'You won't, the two of you fit like pieces of a puzzle, it might take time, that's all.'

He nudged Near on the shoulder, making the little boy rock slightly. He gave Near a wide grin, which was returned a moment later.

'It'll work out Near.' Matt said. 'It'll be fine.'

' _Maybe he's correct_.' Near thought. ' _I hope he's correct_.' He nudged Matt back, causing little physical displacement but getting an even bigger smile and a small chuckle out of the red head. Near realised that Matt had opened his eyes to one thing, he really did want Mello, he was certain, without a doubt in his mind, that he wanted to make this work. Near tried to recall all the information he'd ever been taught on dating and romance and realised that he knew very little, his mother had been far from the best instructor. _'I'll have to learn as I go.'_ He thought, returning his gaze to the night sky. _'I'm not alone, I'm just one star in a night sky.'_

…

'Ok.' Light said. 'My guess is that you feel you can't compete with Kiyomi, that you'll never win.'

He gave Misa a glance to see her reaction and she did not disappoint. Her mouth hung open slightly, her be soft brown eyes wide with shock. Light couldn't deny that he loved the look of surprise and that rushing feeling of being right, it was an addiction of sorts, a very powerful and potent addiction.

'How did you know?' She asked slowly.

'So I am right.' He said with a grin. 'I win.'

Misa gave him a shove.

'Hey.' She said in indignation, 'This isn't a game you know!'

' _Isn't it though?'_ Light thought. _'You and Kiyomi seemed fine using me as a trophy in your brutal games.'_ The problem was, and Light was well aware of it, that he'd grown to enjoy the way they competed over him. He felt sadistic and narcissistic, but he couldn't help but like it.

But now that he could see the effect it was having on Misa, he felt guilt engrain itself more deeply into his feelings about the situation. _'I'm hurting her'_ was all he could think. He'd never meant to do so, he'd always enjoyed her company, but he'd succeeded in doing so all the same.

'I know it's not a game.' Light said. 'I apologise.'

'Apology accepted.' She said with a bittersweet smile.

'So.' He said. 'What are you going to do about the cause of your issue?'

Light wasn't sure why he said 'cause' rather than just using his own name, she knew that he knew, so there was no explainable reason for doing so. _'Explainable reason.'_ Light thought with an almost laugh, _'Emotions and romance don't need explainable reasons.'_

'The cause of my issue.' Misa repeated slowly, savouring and considering the words. 'There's nothing to do, Its out of my hands really.'

'What makes you say that?'

Misa gave Light a puzzled look, he knew what it meant, _'you mean you don't know?'_ He knew of course, but he wanted to test her, see what she'd say.

'Well.' She began. 'It's ultimately his choice. He gets the final say in whether he goes with me or Kiyomi and there's not much I can do about it.'

'Hmm.' Light said in agreement. 'It is a tricky problem. But there is one option you seemed to have failed to consider.'

'What?' Misa asked, almost jumping at the question, ready for any other possibility that Light might give her.

Light stood and threw the last of his bread to the ducks, watching as they flapped around disturbing the natural order. _'All it takes is one piece of bread to send the world haywire.'_ He mused. _'I guess its time to feed.'_

'You're acting like you have to wait for said person to choose.'

'Huh?'

'Well, why wait, you could just ask him you know. You never know what answer you'll get.'

With those final words Light stood and walked away, fading back into the darkness and leaving a stunned Misa by the pond. Light couldn't tell exactly how far reaching these ripples would be, or what their consequences were going to be exactly.

'Wait.' Misa shouted after him. 'Are you saying I should ask you out?'

'Perhaps.' He shouted back.

'Are you saying you'd say yes?'

'You'll have to ask and find out won't you?'

Light knew he'd just thrown a stone into the water, and now he had to wait and see what ripples it created, dealing with them as they arise.

…

'I think Light burns people because of what happened with Sophie.' Kiyomi said.

L's interest was piqued at this, it was a good point that he'd never really considered before. Everyone besides Mello himself (and Near L supposed) knew about the debacle that had occurred with Sophie. It was pretty much the perfect example of Light hurting people without ever intending to do so.

'It's a good point.' L agreed.

'I worry about what's going to happen.' Kiyomi said.

'With?'

'Misa.'

'Ah.'

L shared these concerns, Kiyomi had always seemed aware of what Light was like and capable of handling the situation. But Misa was naïve, beautiful and kind certainly, but naïve. She wouldn't realise that Light was hurting her until it was to late and irreversible damage would have been inflicted by that point.

'I want to be the one with Light and all, but I just worry about her, she doesn't fully comprehend the severity of everything.' Kiyomi explained.

'I didn't think you liked her.' L said.

'I don't hate her L, I'm largely indifferent.'

'Fair enough.'

'She's more versed in romance and caring for others than I am, but that doesn't mean I want her to get hurt.'

'I never saw you as a romantic.'

'I'm not a romantic.' Kiyomi said, then added a moment later. 'I'm Chang'e.'

L was puzzled at this, _'does she mean Chang'e the moon goddess from Chinese folklore? Does she see herself as a God? Maybe she and Light are more similar than I first realised…'_

'Chang'e?' L asked.

'Its just a little story I tell myself.'

'If you say so.'

'I do.' She paused and then said. 'L, what I don't understand is how Light never hurts you. Because if he's fire then you're ice, you shouldn't be able to exist together and yet you're the one person he never hurts.'

L considered this, _'if only she knew.'_ Light never seemingly hurt L, but that didn't mean that pain wasn't still there. _'Fire and Ice is apt, because I can't ever tell him…'_ L wanted to say things, wanted to tell Light, but he knew that it simply wasn't possible.

He looked back at Kiyomi, her dark eyes looking inquisitively at him. L couldn't act for another reason; he didn't want to be selfish. So simple and yet so complicated, he wanted to help those around him before he helped himself, even if it meant destroying his own chances at happiness.

'L.' Kiyomi said, interrupting his thoughts. 'Why doesn't Light ever manage to hurt you?'

'I don't know.' He answered dishonestly.

He knew; it would have been unlike him if he didn't. _'Light hurts me every day, I'll just never let him see, that's all.'_

…

'The Hedgehogs Dilemma?' Mello said, repeating Neo's words.

'Yes.' She said.

'No I haven't heard of that.'

'Curious.' She said mockingly. 'I thought you were a psychology student.'

Mello felt like throwing something at her. _'Honestly, she's such a bitch sometimes.'_ But as angry as she made him he knew he couldn't stay angry, it was her personality that had drawn him to befriend her in the first place.

'Just fucking tell me what it is Neo.'

'Alright.' Neo said. 'Don't hurt me.'

Mello just sighed and waited took a sip from the hot chocolate while her waited. Neo was wise beyond her years and willing to share that wisdom, he just wished it came via a less infuriating route. When it came to Neo he expected poetry (which he couldn't stand), long winded metaphors to illustrate a simple point (which he equally could not stand) and an attitude problem that larger than any he'd ever seen (which he could stand, and found quite enjoyable). Matt at least was more straightforward, even if he asked you dozens of questions along the way.

Neo began to speak, her mask of sarcasm dropping slightly. 'In the winter Hedgehogs want to draw close to each other from warmth, but they can't because their spikes will harm each other. So they are trapped, always being hurt by the loneliness or being hurt by each other.'

Mello considered this.

'So, what are you trying to fucking say?' He asked finally, having no patience for Neo's vague allusions.

'I'm saying that Near has Hedgehogs Dilemma.' Neo said condescendingly.

'So you're saying that he can't be with me because it hurts him.'

'At the moment yes.'

'But…' Mello said trailing off, waiting for Neo to say something.

He hoped Neo would have something to add, he was mentally begging her to have something to add. He just needed her to present one way of getting around the problem, just one. Mello wasn't willing to say it, but he knew it, he wanted Near more than he'd wanted anything before.

'But.' She said, finishing Mello's open ended sentence. 'The Hedgehogs can be close together, if they try.'

'How?' Mello asked hastily, perhaps a little to hastily.

'Well the spikes are like armour aren't they?' Neo said.

'I suppose so yes.'

Mello could sense where Neo was going with this, he waited for her to finish her analogy. Instead when she spoke next it was on a completely different topic:

'Are you getting that feeling?' She asked suddenly.

'That's a little off fucking topic.'

'Its all on topic, just answer my god damn question before I scalp you.'

Mello was taken slightly aback at this, Neo had been so gentle up until now, her normally rough exterior being shed. But now it seemed it had returned, the armour was back on, the veil had once more been thrown over, hiding away the real Neo.

'What feeling?' He asked.

Neo looked down over the edge of the building. It was a four story fall back to the ground, if they jumped they'd break a bone, perhaps if they landed badly, even kill themselves.

'That little voice in that back of your head, telling you to jump, just see what its like to fall, to just jump.'

'Is this going to lead to another fucking metaphor?' He asked tiredly.

'Answer the question.'

Mello considered this, 'yes that voice is there.' He felt it there in numerous situations, a little voice calling him to take the most drastic choice. It willed him to see what it would be like if he stabbed himself, told him that he had the power to kill others, it was the pyromania that could be alit every time he held a flame, and yes, it was that little voice telling him to jump right now. It told him to fall, to see what it would be like when he hit the ground. He never wanted to do what the voice told him to do, but it was strangely alluring, the knowledge that in a single second he could change his world forever, with a single simple action.

'Yes.' He said. 'Yes its there, are you telling me I'm fucking insane?'

'No.' Neo said. 'You're quite normal actually.'

'What?'

'It's called the 'L'appel du vide', which literally translates to the 'Call of the Void.' She explained. 'Its our brain taking control and illuminating the strongest option in any situation.'

'I assume you mean strong as in the strength of the consequences and not actually good decision making.' Mello said.

'Shut up and listen.' Neo snapped. 'Our brain makes emphasises that option so we know which one to avoid the most. Our brain is creating armour for us.'

'Ok, sure, armour whatever.' Mello said. 'But how does this relate to me?'

Neo gave him a little grin.

'Because you and Near are both calling the other to jump into the void.'

'What?'

'You want to take the plunge with Near but despite everything your brain is holding you back, creating armour to protect you. But your armour is like a hedgehogs and so by protecting yourself you're hurting each other.'

Mello thought about this, did he want Near? Yes he did. Yet at every turn he'd managed to find some way to make things more difficult, some way to get angry at Near and make things slightly harder.

'Ok.' He said finally. 'So what am I meant to do.'

'Jump.' Neo said in a deadpan.

'What?'

'Ignore you mind, shed the armour, and just jump.' Neo said. 'Everyone has somebody who calls to them to enter the void, the only way we ever end up with anyone is if we jump.'

Neo stood and went to leave. Mello sat considering this, _'jump? Ok, but how? What can I do?'_ Near seemed so confusing, how was Mello supposed to get close to someone who gets hurts by human connection. He wanted to ask Neo, but he knew that this was something he'd have to figure out himself. Instead he asked her a different question.

'Neo?'

'Speak.' She said, holding the door open, about to head back down from the roof.

'You said everyone has someone who's calling them to jump.'

'Yes.'

'Who's calling you?'

She gave him a small, infuriating grin, it said 'wouldn't you like to know.' Mello could hear the teasing tone in the silence, _'God damn her she's a pain.'_

'I think.' She said finally. 'That you already have some idea.'

She left, closing the door behind herself and leaving Mello up on the roof. He did have some idea, it just seemed so entirely impossible that he wasn't willing to take it seriously.

He stared back up at the stars, once more finding the constellation of Orion.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: That chapter was certainly interesting to write, I'm so sorry for tha amount of analogies that wound up there, I had not intended for it to happen. Anyway, things only get more complicated! Who's going to do what? How will Misa act on Lights words, what are Mello and Near going to do and who is Noes mystery crush? Who knows? I do, and you will when I release my next chapter! Please leave a review and stay tuned for a new chapter!_

 _Note: The song Misa is singing is called 'Fly Me to The Moon' By Frank Sinatra, its an absolute classic._


	16. Chapter 14: A Growing Storm

_A/N: Heres the latest chapter, enjoy! Oh and thanks to all the reviews on the last chapter, you guys rock._

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

Mello was angry.

Mello was furious.

And the worst part was, at this point, he wasn't even surprised.

He stomped around the unused classroom throwing chairs and tables around, the racket fading into the ambience of noise created by the rain and occasional thunder outside. Mello kicked a table, he couldn't believe it. He slammed one chair down on top of another, it had taken less than a day. He picked up another chair and began assaulting the blackboard (that's how long the room had been unused), battering the old surface until it broke or the chair did.

'Fucking dammit Near!' He screamed as he bashing against the blackboard. 'God fucking dammit.'

Neo and Matt sat in the corner, the former reading 'The Picture of Dorian Grey' and sipping occasionally from her cup of coffee, the latter with his PSP, bright images flashing before him. Mello had been growing slowly more agitated over the whole day, Near was no where to be found, having not come out of his room at all. At first Mello was mildly bothered, huffing in class but otherwise being sociable. By lunch he was sulking and when Near hadn't even showed up for their assessment work in the afternoon he had completely flipped.

Both Neo and Matt found this strange, yesterday things couldn't have been better. Near was being more open with Mello and Mello was being softer with Near. Mello had agreed he'd take it slowly with Near, just being kind to the boy until he was ready to take another step. As a result they both seemed happier, the blonde seemingly just enjoying the albinos presence. Near was equally happy, so happy in fact that when Neo had suggested they go and throw test tubes from the science room off a building he'd been the first to jump on board.

Yes, everything had seemed perfect, so perfect that the sun had literally been shining in the sky, with no clouds in sight.

And now the sky was filled, fittingly really, with dark grey storm clouds that rumbled loudly like a beast waking from it's slumber. It struck at the earth with lightning more and more frequently, the beast becoming agitated and biting. The first victim of the attacks it seemed was their collective bliss, with the storm taking Near and therefore Mello's happiness and therefore the happiness of everyone else as they had to tolerate his loud tantrums.

'I'm fucking putting in the effort!' Mello shouted. 'The least he could do is at least attempt to be present occasionally. He's such a selfish little shit!'

'Mels...' Matt said with a groan.

'What?' Mello said, dashing across the room and holding the chair over his head, ready to bring it down on Matt.

'Jesus Christ! Never mind!' Matt said in a panic.

'I didn't fucking think so.' Mello said angrily.

He then turned and threw the chair across the room and through a window, the sound of shattering glass mixing with another boom of thunder. The glass spilled out, rain spilled in, soaking the floor around the wound in the wall immediately.

'For Gods sake.' Matt said. 'I hate this.'

'I dunno.' Neo said, lowering her book. 'I like how his happiness has been taken away from him.'

Matt just shook his head at the dark haired girl.

'Neo, you're deranged.'

'Awwwwwww, you.' She said with faked bashfulness. 'Stop flirting with me, it's too much.'

Their conversation was punctuated by the sounds of two tables colliding with each other, followed by a scream and the sound of another solid object going through a window. More rain and bitingly cold wind spilled in, assaulting the people in the room.

'This is becoming too much.' Matt said dryly.

Neo just gave a smirk and returned to her book, taking another sip of her coffee as she did. Another table collided with some other solid object, perhaps a wall. Matt sighed, lifted his goggles, _'its time for direct action.'_

'Mello sit down.' Matt said.

'On what?' Neo asked from behind her book. 'He already broke all the chairs.'

Mello threw the blackboard duster he was holding out the window, it bounced off one of the chairs outside with a puff of chalk dust and landed in a shrub. He shuffled over moodily to where Matt and Neo were sitting and leaned against table his arms crossed like an obstinate three year old.

'What?' He growled at Matt.

'We should talk this out.' Matt said.

'Talk?' Mello said with a laugh. 'Talk? We've talked about this, you've talked to Near about this, what fucking good has talking done?'

'He has a point you know.' Neo interjected.

'See, Neos on my side.'

'Oh, in that case I take back what I said.' Neo said with a grin.

'Fuck off Neo.'

'Neo, can you not right now?' Matt asked.

Matt enjoyed Neo as much as everyone else did, her unusual blend of dry sarcasm, death glares, and literary appreciation making her a fascinating character. However she also had no tact whatsoever, Matt knew she did it on purpose, but it still wasn't helpful.

'I dunno, what'll you do if I stop?' She asked, looking interested.

'Anything.' Matt said.

'Ok, saw off your hand.'

'No.'

'Throw your video games into a fire.'

'No.'

'Have sex with Roger.'

'No.'

'Well.' She said, fake disappointment displayed on her face as she returned to her book. 'I tried to be reasonable.'

Matt rubbed the side of his head wearily, _'what did I do to deserve this?'_ He returned his attention to Mello.

'Look Mels.' Matt said. 'I don't have much to say, just I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for all this. If Near's not out tomorrow then go kick his door down or something.'

'Fine.' Mello huffed.

Mello was completely divided about this situation, after his conversation with Neo of the room two nights previously he'd decided to be kinder and more understanding about Near. But already his strength and conviction were being strained, if the Albino had explained it or attempted to communicate in any way he would have been ok. But instead Near had hidden in his room, locked the door and not answered when Mello had knocked at lunch.

Now Mello wanted to kill Near, he wanted to strangle him until the life drained out of his pale body. _'If he'd just fucking communicated this all would have been fine'_ Mello thought _. 'But he fucking couldn't even do that, its like he wants me to hate him. Maybe he does, maybe that's his fetish._ ' Mello felt like wringing his expression at the thought. _'Ugh that's so creepy and it makes so much too, the way he's constantly antagonising me. He's been using me… the little shit!'_

Mello was fairly certain that Near did not have a fetish for people hating him, that was far more likely to be Neos territory, he just need an excuse to get angry about something. If he was being perfectly honest with himself he wasn't even really that angry with Near, but rather something a lot worse. He was disappointed, not because he felt used or betrayed, but because he'd expected this.

' _I really thought he fucking cared'_ Mello thought bitterly, _'the least he could do is treat me like a fucking person.'_ Mello didn't know what he had been expecting, _'All Near's done is draw away every time progress gets made.'_ He was certainly aware that Near had a lot of unresolved issues in his life, he was used to that, he, Matt, and Neo all had their fair share. What made it hurt was that when Near became affected by something it effected his relationship with Mello, and so the blonde couldn't help but wonder _, 'am I one of his issues?'_ He didn't want to think about it, because if he was then there might not be a way around, but he just couldn't shake the feeling.

'Well.' Neo said, interrupting his thoughts. 'If we're done talking about you, maybe we can talk about something more interesting now.'

'Like what?' Mello snapped.

Neo lowered her book and rolled her eyes.

'Like… I dunno, the Halloween Ball.'

'The Halloween Ball?' Matt asked in confusion. Neo hated people so her being interested in an event like the Halloween Ball, where there would hundreds of people, was completely out of character.

'Yeah.' Neo said.

'What about it?' Said Mello, his bitter rage being replaced with a mild curiosity.

'Well…' Neo said slowly, her plan was working, she was getting sick of Mellos temper tantrum and was trying her best to distract him. 'I'm entering Miss Halloween this year.'

'You're what?' Matt and Mello exclaimed in shared astonishment.

There was no denying that Neo was beautiful, better looking than most of the girls at the school, and certainly pretty enough to enter the contest. But it just seemed so unlike her, she despised everything normal girls did and idolised witches. The Halloween Ball was about as far removed from that as you could get.

'Yeah.' She confirmed. 'I'm entering this year.'

'But… but…' Mello stammered.

'I thought you said Miss Halloween was just 'A way for stupid girls to flaunt their breasts because they have to if they ever want to compensate for the fact that they're incapable of putting together a coherent sentence'. Matt said in an over the top impression of Neo's dry speech style..

'Because.' Neo began in a deadpan, she wasn't sure whether she was offended at the impression or happy because Matt was becoming more like her. 'I hate beauty pageants so I want to enter and destroy everything they value, whilst making them look stupid. They're my two true passions.'

Matt and Mello had hundreds of questions they wanted to ask, the idea still seemed surreal to them. But before they could begin their lines of questioning an unwanted sound entered the room, Rogers voice:

'What in Gods name are you three doing?' He bellowed, looking at the broken windows and tables.

The three bolted, running across the room and vaulting out the window frames into the rain. Roger's angry cries that they were going to 'pay for all the damage they'd done' were consumed by the steady sound of rain and thunder. They exchanged amused grins and made their way back to Matt and Mello's dorm to dry off.

…

Light drummed his fingers against the table thoughtfully, the assessment was due in a week and there was still a huge element missing. It asked for you to psychologically analyse and diagnose an uncaught serial killer, and the first part he'd done with ease. Being a psychology student as well as a criminology student made this sort of work simple as could be, he barely had to work at all.

However the second element, the diagnosis was proving more troublesome. Light ran through ideas in his head _'The vending machine murders.'_ He thought, regrouping himself mentally. _'Poisoned juice bottles with a herbicide named paraquat, the indicates some a reasonably high level of agricultural knowledge, maybe he grew up on a farm! He could also just really like gardening… damn.'_ His thoughts were interrupted by a loud, obnoxious cough.

Adeline.

She made this whole process harder than it had to be, _'if Mello hadn't run off with Near because of some stupid crush this whole situation would have been easier'_ Light thought bitterly. Adeline was quite simply the worst person Light had had the displeasure of knowing. She was rude, arrogant, condescending, and patronizing. She gave French people a bad name, there was a woman called Mademoiselle Maria who ran the bakery in town and she was one of the kindest people Light knew and absolutely nothing like Adeline.

And to make the whole situation worse, Adeline had seemingly becoming attracted to Light.

When he had arrived at the Library she'd made her first advances, walking up to Light and gripping him in a very tight, very unexpected hug. She had squeezed his butt, Light giving a surprised yelp in response, and then she had tried to work her hand into some other areas…

Light had been alarmed to say the least.

He'd extracted himself from the hug as quickly as possible. When he escaped she just gave him an attempt at a seductive wink and walked over to their reserved table wiggling her hips to make then look bigger and more alluring. This was really quite unnecessary seeing as Adeline was the size of a small house but Light didn't have the courage to say that to her. Instead he just cast the librarian a look of dismay, silently asking 'what am I going to do?' The librarian just gave him a disdainful look, her eyes narrowing.

'The library is for study.' She spat.

Light couldn't believe it. She blamed him for Adeline's advances? He wanted to inform the withered woman that was not in fact his fault, that she was jaded and judgemental, and that she smelt of onions. Light said none of this and instead stalked off to the table to continue the assessment work.

And now, whilst Light was trying to get the work done, Adeline had decided the time was right to try and come onto him again.

'You half been studeeing so mooch!' She said, leaning over the table.

'Yes.' Light agreed. 'It would be even better if you helped.'

Adeline looked aghast at the mere suggestion of work, her mouth hung open and her third and fourth chins wobbled with indignation.

'Wurk?' She exclaimed. 'Why wood I work? Eet is unbeefeetiting of for somebody of moi's status to wurk!'

' _No wonder the French revolution happened.'_ Light thought darkly. _'I just wish they'd managed to nab your ancestors as well.'_

'And besides.' Adeline added, leaning over the table even further, rolls of fat covering almost the entire surface. 'You're just soooo good at wurking.'

Light didn't have the energy to focus on Adeline and her antics, in reality he didn't even have energy for the assessment. No, his attention was really on Misa and what she was going to do about what he'd said two nights previously.

From the moment he'd spoken those ambiguous words he'd regretted it. _'You'll have to ask and find out?' What was I thinking?'_ Light thought, scorning himself mentally. His biggest vice was pride, he knew it all to well but he was unable to prevent it from wrecking havoc in any given situation. It was all too obvious that he'd just invited her to ask him out and he wasn't sure what he'd say.

' _I've completely wrecked the situation for an opportunity to sound mysterious and in control for a few seconds, its pathetic.'_ Light hoped that Misa's nerves would get the better of her and she wouldn't ask him out, but he knew that wouldn't happen. If Light knew Misa, and he was fairly confident that he did, then she would probably be on her way over as they spoke with a spark in her eyes, a smile on her, and the words ready to spill off her lips. Light shuddered at the thought.

' _What am I going to say if she asks? I can't just say yes, because there's still Kiyomi and I don't want to upset her…'_ This whole situation seemed inescapably bad, with every option leading to upset Misa, angry Kiyomi, disappointed group of friends, or in some particularly bad cases, all three.

Light groaned audibly, he was just going to have to wait and see how things played out. The idea revolted Light; he had to be in control, he didn't know how to function without complete control. But now it seemed that waiting and letting the chips fall where they may was the only option for the time being. _'What a mess.'_

'What eez wrong Light?' Adeline asked. She stood and walked behind him beginning to massage him. 'You are very tense.'

'Adeline, please, not now.'

'No! I will not 'ave eet!' Adeline said.

She discontinued her massage and instead sat down on Lights lap, throwing her arms over his shoulders. The pain in Lights legs was immediate, she was far to heavy for him to manage.

'You, little misure, need to relax.'

'Adeline…' Light said again, growing angry.

'Shush!' She said, putting her finger over his lips. 'Moi will heelp you relax.'

'Adeline you're not listening to…'

Before he could say the final word he was interrupted by an incredibly unpleasant sensation.

Adeline had pushed her lips against his, forcing him into a long kiss. She used her lips to slowly pry open Lights, it felt like she was trying to suck his face off. When his lips were open she shoved her tongue into his mouth so forcefully that he nearly gagged, _'what is she trying to do? Kiss me or choke me to death?'_ Light tried to push her off with all of his strength and after almost thirty seconds finally succeeded.

She stood up, finally allowing Light to move around again. He scanned over the space, they were entrenched deeply behind several layers of shelves so he was fairly certain nobody had seen them but he still wanted to be sure. There was a flicker of movement in the shadows but when Light turned to look there was nothing there. _'Probably just being paranoid. I hope that's it.'_

His worries were interrupted by a brutal slap across his face.

' 'Ow dare you!' Adeline screamed at him, flecks of her (and quite possibly also Lights) spit hitting his face. 'You take advanteege of moi! And then you throw moi off like some dirtee rag! Disgraceful!'

'I took advantage of you?' Light shouted back, his patience with the girl finally coming to an end. 'You came onto me!'

'You invited me!' Adeline said huffily.

'I did not!'

'Did sooo, you preteendeed to be miserable so I would kiss you!'

'I did not!' Light repeated.

'You did! You just wanted moi to kiss you, admeet it.'

'There are one three things I will admit.' Light said in a raised voice. He was building momentum now and anyone with any sense would have run to hide, the look in his eyes providing warning as to the storm of words he was about to unleash. 'One, you are a lazy and ungrateful bitch. Two, you're the worst kisser alive, vomiting is a more pleasant experience. Three, you are quite frankly the ugliest person I know, both in personality and looks.'

'You filth!' Adeline screamed. She swept her flabby arm along the table in anger, forcing all the contents onto the ground in a messy heap. 'I quit being your study partner!'

'Fine by me!' Light yelled back.

'Be silent, you chauvinistic pig!'

'I may be a pig.' Light yelled back, a smile dawned on his face, he was about to beat her once and for all. 'But at least I don't look like one.'

This seemed too much for Adeline, she let out an animalistic scream and gave one very solid kick straight to Light's groin. He collapsed, clutching at the near unbearable pain, his eyes watering. Adeline sneered at his curled over form and spat on him. She then turned and left, leaving Light behind collapsed on the ground whimpering.

'No yelling in the library.' Said the Librarian a few seconds later.

…

Misa skipped happily over to library, singing a jazzy little tune under her breath:

'I'm a shooting star leaping through the skies

Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity

I'm a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva

I'm gonna go go go

There's no stopping me

I'm burning through the sky yeah!

Two hundred degrees

That's why they call me Missus Fahrenheit

I'm trav'ling at the speed of light

I wanna make a supersonic man out of you

Don't stop me now

I'm having such a good time

I'm having a ball

Don't stop me now

If you wanna have a good time

Just give me a call'

Her singing attracted the occasional strange look from passing students but Misa really didn't care. _'Light wants me to ask him out.'_ Misa though excitedly. _'He actually wants me to ask him out.'_

She felt like screaming with joy but settled for singing and skipping instead, she just couldn't believe that Light had really told her to ask him out. Those words 'You'll have to ask and find out' were so ambiguous but perfect, they'd make for a great story. Misa was so jubilant that even the downpour of rain couldn't hope kill her mood.

She stopped outside the library, gave herself the once over, making sure that everything was still good. She'd picked out one of her best outfits, a short black dress that clung to her figure, revealing every curve of her perfect body. They were complemented by a pair expensive leather boots and fishnet stockings, all of which were rounded out by a silver necklace fashioned into a crucifix with a beautiful ruby in the centre. She had attracted the gaze of more than a few boys on the way over so she was certain it looked good.

She ran through a mental checklist, everything had to be perfect. _'Outfit? Check.'_ She brushed her dress down, just to make sure there were no creases. _'Next, make up?'_ She ran over to a Library window to check her reflection, her make up, red lipstick and all, was still perfect. _'Hair?'_ She made sure both of her pigtails were still in position, it looked like there wasn't a hair out of place. _'Check and check.'_

' _Finally, the letter?'_ She pulled out a little piece of paper, it had been adorned with black outlines of gothic trees, flowers, and the moon. Misa knew she had probably wasted far too much time on this but she didn't care, everything had to be perfect. She opened the letter and read it to herself, just to make sure it all sounded right:

 _Dear Raito 'Light' Yagami,_

 _Will you attend the Halloween ball with me?_

 _Love, Misa Misa, xxx_

Misa knew it was goofy and clichéd but she didn't care, she jumped up and down on the spot a few times and squealed just to get rid of the excess excitement, _'I can't believe I'm going to do this! Ah!'_

She took a few deep breaths to calm herself and then entered the library. Misa was immediately accosted by the scent of onions, she looked around for the source, _'is that the librarian, that's so gross!'_ The librarian gave Misa a small sneer but Misa didn't care. She ignored the ancient Librarian and began searching through the rows of shelves for Light. _'I'm gonna ask him out, I'm gonna ask him out, I can't believe it, ah!'_

She caught a glimpse of his brown hair between some shelves, _'there he is, oh my goodness I can't believe this is happening.'_ She practically ran toward him, holding the invitation tightly ready to hand it to him and hear him say the words, 'yes, of course I'll go with Misa.'

Misa stopped.

Adeline was on Lights lap, the two locking lips. Misa felt as if someone had just rammed a spike of metal through her chest, a searingly hot pain screaming though out her body. The metal twisted slowly as Adeline pushed her tongue into Lights mouth. Misa wasn't sure when she started crying but now there were tears running down her face, she turned and ran out of the library and out into the cold rainy night.

She felt betrayed, as if Light had given her the hope two nights previously just to crush it in front of Misa now, just so she'd feel slightly more hurt. And the fact that it was Adeline as well, if it had been Kiyomi then Misa would have understood, but the fact that even Adeline was apparently a better option than her just made the wound sting. _'He thinks she better than me, I'm nothing to him, just a scentless camellia blossom…'_

Misa pulled the invitation out of her pocked and ripped it in two, letting the two pieces fall two the ground. She just cried and cried, gasping for air, her lungs contracting because of all the pain.

'I'm so stupid.' She sobbed.

'Misa?' A small voice said from behind her.

Misa turned and wiped her eyes, only for a whole new wave of tears to replace the last. It was Kiyomi, _'I bet he likes her more than me too, she's so smart and beautiful and I'm worthless in comparison.'_

'Are you ok?' Kiyomi asked kindly.

'No.' Misa shouted, her face becoming red and blotchy with her mascara running.

'Misa what's…' Kiyomi began.

'If you want him then be my guest.' Misa cried. 'I won't stop you, he would have chosen you anyway. God I'm such an idiot!'

She ran passed Kiyomi, bumping shoulders roughly.

'Misa wait.' Kiyomi called after her but she was already gone.

Kiyomi looked around to see if she'd left anything behind and spotted the torn paper of the ground. She picked up the pieces and read was they said.

'Oh Misa.' Kiyomi whispered.

…

The storms didn't stop all-night and continued into the next day, saturating the grounds in a dark gloom punctuated by frequent thunder. The air was so full of tension that it was suffocating, anger, weariness, guilt, and sadness all mixing together into an uncomfortable stew.

Mello spent the entire day in a state of bitter irritability, snapping at anyone and everyone. The source of his foul mood was well known by everyone, Matt having sent a warning text about it that morning. For the second day running Near had failed to communicate with Mello in any fashion, and Mello had just about had enough.

'I'm gonna go over to his room this evening.' Mello muttered across the bench.

He, Matt, L, and Kiyomi were in science, currently dissecting a frog.

'I'm going to do it.' Mello said again, repeating it for the umpteenth time during the ten minutes they'd been working on the frog.

'Ok.' Matt said.

'And nothing you can say is going to stop me.'

'I'm not trying to, I think that this needs to happen.'

'Near needs to come out of his shell a little.'

'Truer words were never spoken.'

'And besides I'm worried about him.'

'I think we all are slightly.'

'Will you two shut up.' Kiyomi asked as she slowly extracted the frogs intestines. 'And put on some safety goggles.'

Mello rolled his eyes, of his friends it was only Kiyomi who consistently behaved her age, the rest switching between maturity and immaturity as if it was as easy as stepping over a line. Whilst Matt could be equally as wise and mentoring as Kiyomi it was in more of a brotherly kind of way.

'Kiyomi…' Mello began.

'Goggles now.' She snapped.

Mello stalked off to the front the room grab a pair of goggles, Matt lowered his back over his eyes and looked at Kiyomi and L. Both seemed totally miserable, _'I guess Mello's not the only one having a bad time.'_

'So what's you're problem?' Matt asked them.

They exchanged a tired glance.

'Misa.' Kiyomi said.

'And Light.' L added.

'Oh.' Matt said.

'No one quite knows the whole story yet.' Kiyomi explained as Mello returned, big plastic goggles magnifying the size of his eyes and scar ever so slightly. 'But something must have happened between Light and Misa because she was in tears last night.'

This was a lie, Kiyomi in fact had a very good idea of what had gone on, she just wasn't going to mention the invitation. Misa could tell people what had happened if and when she was ready, _'I can do that much for her at least, she's owed that much at least.'_

'And apparently she was crying this morning, according to Neo.' Mello said.

Matt thought about this information, Light doing something to upset someone else was far from out of character. But Misa was normally forgiving so it couldn't have been anything small…

'Did Light say anything?' Matt asked L.

L shook his head.

'First Near, and now Misa and Light.' Matt muttered.

'Dreadful.' Kiyomi agreed

At the mention of Near something seemed to trigger in Mello. He sat up slightly taller, his muscles tensed, and his eyes tightened ever so slightly into a squint. _'What's he about to do?'_ Matt wondered, that combination of expressions and involuntary actions could only mean one thing.

He was on a mission.

Mello stood, extracting and unwrapping a bar of chocolate and moving toward the door of the classroom. A silence fell over the room, the bubble of small talk and jokes fell away as everyone became enthralled by Mello, his silent determination holding everyone's attention. The only sound that punctuated the intensity was the single snap of Mello biting into his chocolate. He opened the door and was about to walk through.

'Mello.' The young teacher said trying to hold some authority. 'Where do you think your going? You do not have permission…'

Mello shot him a deadly look, his azure eyes written with intimidation. The teacher gulped.

'You may leave.' He whispered.

'I fucking thought so.' Mello whispered.

He left the room, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed around the room, filling the awe struck silence. The entire class burst into loud speculation at once, gossipy theories being spouted faster than should be humanly possible. One girl immediately leapt into a story that was a total lie about 'how Mello was whispering Sophie's name…' and everyone seemed to take to this theory immediately, phones being pulled from pockets and the information spreading so quickly it was around the entire school within 90 seconds.

'What's he doing?' Kiyomi said.

'I am unsure.' L said.

'I'm not.' Matt said. 'He's heading straight over to Near's room.'

'What's he going to do?' Kiyomi asked.

'Something dramatic I imagine.' Matt said cryptically.

…

Mello strode across the grounds toward the Sophomore dorms, water assailing him from every angle. He was soaked through within seconds of stepping out but he didn't care, he was determined. _'Fucking Near.'_ He thought. _'I don't fucking care about any fucking Hedgehogs dilemma this fucking shit has gone on for too fucking long.'_

Mello had to know what was causing Near to hide from everyone. It wasn't just anger that was causing him to behave so boldly it was something else. Concern. Upon the mention of the Misa and Light situation he'd grown worried, _'what if something has happened to Near and he's been in his fucking room depressed for two days, he wouldn't fucking tell anyone, we'd never fucking know.'_

Mello ate the last piece of his chocolate and then spat it back out again, _'ugh, watery chocolate, fucking disgusting.'_

He finally reached Near's door, the numbers 2.18 just where they always were, the door was locked shut. He knocked and waited, he knocked and waited again. This went on for almost a minute until finally Mello snapped. _'I want him to fucking talk to me and he literally won't let me the fuck in, does he like me or not?'_ He began to kick furiously at Near's door, his boot connecting with the wood to create a dull thudding.

'Near open the fucking door! Near! Fucking dammit just let me in! Stop fucking hiding from me I want to fucking help! Dammit Near answer me! Don't lock me out just answer me! Near!'

He gave the door one final solid kick, it shuddered, the doors lock rattling loudly, but it remained resolutely shut. Mello sunk to the floor, panting loudly, with his back against the symbol for all of his and Near's problems. _'I can't be left out again, I can't.'_ Mello felt like he was slowly imploding. _'He's just the same as her, they fucking throw me away like I'm nothing, I can't do it again.'_

'Mr Keehl. You're out of class early.' Someone said.

Mello turned to see which student it was, to scream 'fuck off' at them. However, as it turned out, it was not a student but Headmaster Watari. Mello jumped to his feet quickly, the Headmaster was the only adult in the school still able to exercise control over him.

'Headmaster Watari I can explain…'

'No need.' He said, holding a phone that looked completely out of place in the hands of the ancient man. 'The news has already spread around.'

'Oh.' Mello said.

Watari gave him a knowing smile and chuckled to himself.

'Everybody thinks that it has something to do with Miss Sophie Anders.' Watari said. 'However, its Mr Rivers room you're out the front of and not hers.'

'Um… yes sir.' Mello said slowly.

'Storming out of class is a strange thing to do.' Watari said knowingly. 'But then again, love makes us do strange things.'

'Sir!' Mello said in shock. 'I can assure you…'

Watari chuckled to himself again, Mellos words trailed off.

'Mr Keehl I am more than aware of your intentions with Mr River and I do not mean to stop you. Heavens, if I tried you would find a way around it I am sure, young people are forever inventive.'

'Sir…' Mello said, puzzled as to where this was going.

'You will still have to convince his mother.' Watari continued. 'But I'm sure you'll manage.'

'Sir are you going to punish me for not being in class?' Mello asked.

'I think not.' Watari said, Mello breathed a sigh of relief. 'Although if you damage that door I will have to reprimand you I'm afraid.'

'I see sir.' Mello said, his shoulders sinking.

His only hope of getting to Near were dashed against the rocks that were Watari's authoritative words. _'I just want to fucking see Near, to make sure he's ok, and then scream at him!'_ Mello thought _'I just don't want to be fucking left out again, not again.'_

'However.' Watari said. 'Might I suggest an alternate route into Mr Rivers room?'

'Sir?'

'The lock on his window doesn't work properly, if you were to climb up to it you could enter Mr River's room quite easily. I can see by your current waterlogged appearance that the rain shan't be a problem for you.'

'Thank you sir.' Mello said, turning a running. Then he stopped and looked back at Watari. The old man was still standing there, evidently expecting Mellos next question. 'Sir, how do you know about the lock, it almost seems like…'

'I broke into that room before?' Watari said with a cryptic smile. 'Mr Keehl the school's latest buildings give it the appearance of youth but it is over a century old. I too was a student once and lets just say that at the time I had a compelling reason to get into that room.'

Mello didn't particularly want to think about the implications of that statement and instead thanked Watari and ran back outside.

The rain created a thick curtain, Mello could barely make out the dorm wall until he was standing in front of it. When he got there he saw it, a pipe snaking up the wall and directly next to Near's dorm window. Mello smiled, _'thank you Headmaster Watari.'_

He began the climb up the wall, placing one hand over the other and slowly ascending, _'I'm coming Near.'_ He thought. Mello clung to the pipe, his wet fingers struggling to find a hold on the metal. The blonde kept his focus on the window, his way in. _'I just have to get up there, I won't be kept out again, I won't be left behind.'_

Mello reached the window, currents of water flowing down its face like tears. He pushed on it slightly, the window gave way easily and opened a fraction. Mello took a deep breath, _'I'm not going to be left behind, I'm going to be there.'_ Mello couldn't wait to be there to comfort Near through whatever issue he was having or strangle him because there was none.

Either way, he was going to be with Near.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well things are heating up! Whats going to happen with Mello and Near, is Misa all right and how will the situation be repaired? Is Neo really entering Miss Halloween? *epic trailer voice* find out next time! Haha, im mucking around, but I hoped you enjoyed, feel free to review, and stay tuned for the newest chapter! I've got some interesting plans... *sinister laugh*_

 _Note: I'm sure you guys know but just in case someone has been living under a rock, Misa sings 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen, a brilliant song by a brilliant band._


	17. Chapter 15: Safe With You

_A/N: Here's the latest chapter, enjoy the read!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

Mello pushed the window open and crawled into Nears room, he tumbled onto the floor, water pooling around him already. The room was dark, shadows sitting in the corners and looming over every piece of furniture, the entire space dripping with darkness. He looked around for any sign of Near but the room was empty, the bed made, toys stacked, and kitchenette completely clean. _'Its like he hasn't been here for days.'_ Mello thought.

Mello began to search around the room in a slight panic, _'where is he? Where is he?'_ He threw open the bathroom door to find no one inside, Near wasn't lurking in any of the shadows (his hair would have given him away), and he wasn't crouched behind something. _'Is he gone? Why would he be gone? Near!'_ A crack of lightning struck outside illuminating the room in a haunting light, followed a split second later by a massive boom of thunder.

And that's when Mello heard it, under the rolling thunder.

A little sobbing gasp.

Mello spun on the spot, honing in on the origin of the sound. He zeroed in on the wardrobe, _'the wardrobe, he wouldn't be in there…'_ And then Mello saw it, a little foot clad in a white sock, hanging out of the slightly ajar wardrobe door.

'Near…' Mello said.

There was no response.

Thunder struck again and once more a little gasp intermingled with a sob came from the wardrobe. Mello took a slow step toward Near, reaching for the handle, ready to pull the wardrobe open.

'Near, I'm going to open the door.'

No response, just the steady drumming of rain outside.

Mello pulled the door open slowly, the new hinges letting it swing in perfect silence. As the door opened Near was revealed, his white hair bright and prominent despite the darkness of the room. Near was curled up into a little ball, clutching around his knees in terror. He was half covered by all the shirts hanging from coat hangers, entrenched in the fabric cage.

Near slowly looked up at Mello, the albinos storm grey eyes meeting the blondes azure ones. They were wide with terror Mello noticed, like the look of a small puppy when their owner goes to leave the house and the dog thinks they're leaving forever. In that moment Mello felt all the bitterness and anger get washed away, replaced instead by a deep concern. _'What's wrong with him?'_

As if to provide an answer thunder struck again, the world shaking as the booming noise echoed around through the air. When the thunder struck Near ducked his head down, retracting into a ball again, not looking up at Mello.

Everything fell into place in Mello's mind.

' _Of course, it all makes sense.'_ Mello thought. _'He froze up the night of the revenge prank because the fireworks sounded like thunder. It's why he missed class the last time there was stormy weather.'_ Mello felt like hitting himself, it just seemed so obvious now that he'd figured it out.

'Near.' Mello said gently. 'Are you afraid of thunder?'

Near looked back up his eyes wide again but they held a different emotion to before. Mello knew what he was thinking, 'he figured it out.' Mello just offered Near the best comforting smile he could manage, Near tried to smile back, meekly attempting to make his face for the expression. Another clap of thunder and Near had curled up into a ball once more.

' _God he's cute when he's terrified.'_ Mello thought, knowing that now really wasn't the time for that line of thinking. Instead Mello began to wrack his mind for ideas to comfort the small boy.

'So…' Mello began, he tried to find something to finish that sentence with. 'How's it been going?'

' _How's it been going?'_ Mello thought angrily. _'How's it been going? That's so fucking lame, why can I never talk properly in these situations, god fucking dammit.'_ Mello wanted to hit himself, he felt like such an idiot. Instead he tried to regroup, _'I can save this, just say something really smart.'_ He returned his attention to Near, opening his mouth to say something, anything, when he was stopped dead in his tracks.

Near was looking at him with a smile, not a forced smile that was trying to hide his fear, but a proper on-the-verge-of-laughter grin.

' _He fucking surprises me even when he's scared shitless.'_ Mello thought wryly. _'At some point this is going to have to end, he can't keep it up for fucking ever.'_ Mello grinned back at Near, in reality he was just happy to see a smile of the albinos face again, a proper smile.

Near let out a silent giggle.

'You think my comment was fucking funny do you.' Mello said, beating his chest in the universal 'come at me' way.

Near just nodded and giggled again, this time at Mello's attempt to look intimidating or dangerous. ' _Fucking bitch, I'll end you if you keep this up.'_ Mello thought, feeling slightly belittled by Near's silent mocking but really just enjoying the sweet moment they were sharing.

The moment was cut short by another crack of thunder, which caused Near to curl up into a ball once more, the happiness being wiped from him in a second.

'Hey, woah.' Mello said, trying to calm down Near who was breathing loudly again. 'Take it easy, its just thunder.'

Near looked up at him once more, their eyes meeting. Mello gave him a small comforting smile and reached out with his hand, offering it to Near.

'I'm here, it'll be ok.' He said.

Near nodded slowly and reached out with his hand, slowly brining it to rest in Mellos. His scared movement slowly brought their skin into contact, it was like a volt of lightning had run through Mellos body, he felt elated just at the contact _, 'he want's me…'_ Mello thought.

Near drew his hand away violently as another crack of thunder rumbled through the air. He whimpered and retracted into a ball, once more hiding himself away and shutting out the world.

Mello felt hurt, _'its like the fucking cupboard incident all over again, he just doesn't fucking care.'_ The blonde felt like screaming at Near but instead resolved to turn and march out of the room. _'If he fucking doesn't want me then I won't fucking be here for him, he clearly doesn't care, nobody really cares.'_ He moved to leave, taking a step away from Near when he was stopped, something gripping his hand and forcing him to wait.

Mello looked, Near's pale little hand was wrapped around his own.

'Stay.' The boy whispered with a shaky breath.

'Near…' Mello said turning to face the boy, his eyes wide and pleading.

Thunder echoed through the air once more and Near gasped and curled slightly in fear. Except this time he didn't pull his hand away from Mello's, this time he tightened his grip.

Mello couldn't help but grin ever so slightly.

'Near…' He said again in a very different tone of voice.

'Stay.' The boy said, and then added repeating Mello's words back to him. 'If you are here it will be ok.'

…

Misa was sat curled up on the corner of the couch on her side of the room, she rubbed her teary eyes and looked across the room at nothing in particular. She'd been crying on an off since yesterday evening, every time her face finally stopped looking blotchy a whole new wave of tears would hit. Every tear stung and hurt, Misa felt she should have known better, that this was somehow inevitable.

' _He wouldn't ever choose me, why would he?'_ Misa thought to herself, asking the question again and again. She mentally repeated the sounds so many times that eventually the question and all its component words had started to sound alien to her, distanced by a lack of understanding.

'I'm back.' Neo said walking into the room and dumping her books on a random patch of carpet.

So far it had only been Neo who had seen the petite blonde cry, and for that Misa was truly glad. Neo wouldn't go spreading rumours or try to get to the bottom of the issue; she probably didn't even care one way or the other how Misa spent her day. It was just what Misa wanted, to be left alone to wallow in self-pity.

'Light looked normal, I know you were wondering.' Neo said as she picked up a notepad and pen.

Neo was right, Misa had been wondering about Light, and just as Misa had suspected knowing only made her feel worse. _'He's fine? He wasn't even worried about where I was today? I was right, he doesn't care, not at all!'_ Misa felt like crying some more but instead put the thought to the back of her mind, trying to concentrate on things totally unrelated to Light.

'Doing some writing?' Misa asked meekly, nodding at the pad and pen in Neo's hand.

'Yep.' Neo replied.

'Sober?'

'Nope.' Neo said, producing a bottle she'd had stowed in one of the deep pockets of her red bomber jacket.

Last year Misa had tried to stop Neo's drinking habit, it wasn't that Misa was opposed to drinking; she enjoyed a good party as much as the next person. It was more that Misa got worried at the amount Neo drank, there were times when she would be drinking every night of the week. Neo claimed that it 'helped her write' and indeed Neo always produced her best work whilst intoxicated, but Misa still worried that it wasn't at all healthy.

'Neo…' Misa sniffled.

'Yes Misa.' Neo said, anticipating what she thought Misa was about to say. 'I know I had some last night as well, but I have a poem concept and I want to do it justice.'

'I was going to ask if I could have some.' Misa said.

Neo blinked at the teary blonde, in the year-plus-some that they'd been roommates Misa had never asked Neo for a drink. They'd been to parties and she'd drunk there sure, but in private it had only ever been Neo who had consumed alcohol. Misa had always been the one who listened to Neo's drunken ramblings, patted her back whilst she threw up, and prevented her from doing anything terribly embarrassing.

'Um, sure.' Neo said, handing over the bottle.

Misa took a long drink without a second though, coughing as the alcohol (cheap vodka) went down her throat. Neo had never seen her behave like this before and was quite frankly actually a little concerned. Misa took a second long drink, when she stopped Neo decided it was probably best that she took the bottle from the blonde.

'Let me take that.' Neo said.

'One more…' Misa mumbled, already beginning to look slightly effected.

'I'll sell your kidneys on the black market if you don't give it back.' Neo said with in the sweetest of tones, but with death in her eyes.

Misa relinquished her grip on the bottle.

Neo took the bottle and stowed it behind the shelf on her side of the room, she still fully intended to drink it all, _'just perhaps another night, the situation here is critical.'_ Neo returned and sat on the couch next to Misa, _'so how do I provide support?'_ It had been so long since she'd tried to actually support someone that she couldn't remember how. The night on the roof with Mello didn't count, she'd just spouted a whole bunch of nonsense, here she actually had to be kind and helpful.

Neo found it utterly terrifying.

'Um, Misa…' Neo said. 'Are you, you know, alright?'

Misa swung her head around and stared at Neo, her head swaying from side to side slightly. _'Is she drunk already? What a lightweight!'_

'I'm fine.' Misa said. 'Don't worry about me.'

'Ok, good.'

' _I'm so out of my depth here.'_ Neo tried to figure out what Misa would say to her in this situation but she kept coming up with useless answers such as; 'chin up!', 'When I'm down I like to sing!', and 'always look on the bright side of life.' They were all thoroughly useless to the bewildered Neo. _'I need assistance from a professional human being.'_

There was knock at the door, Neo leapt up to get it, hoping it'd be someone useful. Misa went to stand and stop Neo, but the decided that sitting was safer that standing as she nearly lost her balance and toppled over.

Neo pried open the door and peeked out, she didn't want to display a drunk Misa to anyone they weren't good friends with. It was Kiyomi standing at the door, with a look of concern on her face.

'Kiyomi.' Neo said slightly surprised.

'Can I come in?' Kiyomi asked.

'Why?'

'I'm worried about Misa.'

Neo pulled the door open and let her in.

'Please be my guest.'

Kiyomi stepped into the room, Neo shutting the door quickly behind her. She looked at Misa, who was appraising her own hand with fascination, her head swaying side to side slightly. At the sound of the shutting door Misa turned and saw Kiyomi.

'You let her in?' Misa said in indignation.

'Nice to see you too.' Kiyomi said.

She took a seat next to Misa, Neo sat on the bottom bunk of the bed.

'We need to talk.' Said Kiyomi. 'About Light.'

…

A steady rhythm had built up with Mello and Near. The thunder would strike and Near would cower, clinging closely to Mello. Mello would then comfort him and engage him in conversation, attempting to distract him. This would slowly begin to work until Near had evolved from monosyllabic answers to full sentences. Then thunder would fill the room, Near would cower in fear again and the process would start once more.

Mello would never tell him, but he loved the way the albino clutched to him. He could feel the terror take the boys body and force it into following its most primal instinct of finding safety, and Near found it in Mello. Every fibre of the blondes body made him want to take Near, to hold him tight, to kiss him, to be one with him, because in that very moment he felt more wanted by a single person then he had felt in years.

Near would never tell him, but he felt loved the way that the blonde stayed with him, making sure he felt safe. The fact that something as simple as a fear of thunder could make Mello sit with him and keep him company made Near feel powerful. He had never had that kind of control in a person, he had never experienced someone being so dedicated to his well-being. He wanted to make sure Mello never left, do anything to make him stay. Near had felt alone for his whole life but in that very moment he finally experienced what it felt like to be part of whole rather than a single agent.

'Ok.' Mello said with a laugh. He had gotten Near back to talking in full sentences again and another clap of thunder could only be minutes away. 'What are you going as to the Halloween Ball?'

Near turned and gave him a questioning look. It was almost pitch black in the wardrobe due to the fact that it was a stormy night outside and all the lights off inside. But still Near's pale face glowed, white like marble, Mello able to make out every feature of it because they were sitting so close. There was centimetres only between their faces, the cramped wardrobe they were sitting in leaving very little space.

'You are going to Halloween Ball, right?' Mello asked.

Near shrugged.

'I hadn't been planning on it…'

'Near!' Mello exclaimed in shock. 'You can't not go!'

Mello felt like shaking his head but decided against it due to the lack of space. He just couldn't believe Near sometimes, _'not go? Everyone goes, it the biggest thing of the year!'_ Mello had sometimes wondered what it must be like in Near's mind, what exactly had happened with his mother that made him find isolation so much more comfortable than being with other people. _'What must it be like in your head?'_

The thoughts buzzing around in Near's head were not those of introversion and isolation but rather of manipulation. The sensation of having Mello want him had quickly become addictive and Near realised he was willing to do just about anything to get Mello to express it.

'I don't see why it matters.' Near said, calculating his every word.

'It matters because it does, you have to.' Mello retorted disbelievingly.

'It doesn't matter to me.' Near said, anticipating the next words Mello was going to say.

'But it matters to…' Mello began.

He was interrupted by another crack of thunder. Mello cut off what he was saying and gripped Near, comforting the albino as he gasped in terror. Near couldn't believe it, his perfect conversational construction had been destroyed by an ill-timed bit of thunder. Whilst yes, having Mello hold him tight felt good, it was the words that mattered more than anything to Near.

There were so many words that Near had wanted to hear in his life but he had never gotten, an 'I love you' when was young from his mother, he had never had an apology from her since she had been rehabilitated. All this accumulated to Near valuing the word more than the action, Mello could been here with him as much as he wanted, but Near just wanted him to speak the words.

'Hey, its only thunder.' Mello said, trying to calm Near. 'I'm here and it's ok, it's ok.'

Near nodded slightly. He was more disappointed than scared. He had been able to taste those words they'd been so close.

Mello just leant back, _'back to square one.'_ Now he had to get Near talking all over again, slowly progressing him back to full conversation. Quite frankly Mello was sick of it, he cared about Near dearly and loved being there for him but the situation was ridiculous. Mello wasn't sure how many time he could repeat this. Instead he decided to jolt Near back into a full conversation.

'You have to go to the Ball, do you want to know why?'

Near looked up at Mello questioningly.

'Because I'm looking forward to dancing with you.' Mello said.

Near's eyes widened at this information.

'But I don't know how to dance.' Near said, he didn't want to disappoint and reject Mello.

'Well you'll have to learn because I won't take no for an answer.'

'But how will I learn?'

'Matt can teach you.'

'He can?'

'Sure can, he'll teach you how to shake what your mama gave you and drop it like its' hot.'

Near felt like giggling when he heard Mello say the words, he was used to long strings of expletives and angered shouting. He was not used to Mello attempting any kind of slang, it sounded so foreign on his tongue.

Despite the abnormality of the situation Near saw an opportunity, _'I can twist this conversation and make Mello say those words.'_ It was perfect, Near just had to guide the conversation so that Mello thought he was convincing Near rather than Near orchestrating the whole conversation.

'But I don't want to learn to dance, I see no need.' Near said, sounding like his normal detached self.

'But you have to dance, it would be fucking rude if you didn't.'

'But I really don't care.' Near said.

Mello glanced over at Near, _'I really don't care?'_ That didn't sound like Near at all, the words were to simplistic and direct. The blonde had learnt that Near liked to give an opinion on subject, it was always 'I don't see the need' or 'I don't like to waste my time on such things'. Near saying 'I really don't care' set of alarm bells in Mello's mind, and he was going to find out what the issue was.

The blonde watched Near's eyes closely for any sign of what he was playing at, the albinos eyes being the only indicator of his emotions more often than not. Then window into Near's clockwork mind didn't tell Mello anything, it was devoid of its usual signs. _'He's hiding something, so what is it?'_

Thunder boomed again and Near curled up once more in terror. In the moments before he did, Mello saw it, the deception falling away and Near's eyes revealing his true intention. They had glimmered the same glimmer as when he and Near were first working together, when every word and action had been carefully planned and calculated.

Manipulation.

Mello felt the anger building up inside, _'I thought we'd move beyond fucking manipulation.'_ The blonde felt so bitter, like Near had taken all the progress that they had made and crushed it underfoot. _'He still plays me, gets what he wants from me, I'm a means not an end.'_

The blonde felt like screaming at Near but when he looked at the way he was curled up, shaking and gasping in terror, he felt the anger subside slightly. _'Shouting at him now would just be wrong, I'll have to sort this out another way.'_

The blonde thought about how best to approach this, his mind exploring avenues of action quickly. His mind raced through possibilities, stopping only long enough to judge them useless and continue onwards. Eventually Mello came to a discission.

' _Just be direct, cut through the bullshit and the games.'_

'Near.' He said, trying his hardest to keep his anger under control. 'Why were you manipulating me just then?'

…

'Light?' Misa repeated in a slurred voice. 'Screw Light, he's nothing but a rotten dirty piece of shit! Hmph!'

Kiyomi was alarmed at this, she had figured out based on the ripped up invitation she found that Misa had been going to ask out Light and something must have gone wrong. But she hadn't know that whatever had happened had been so bad. Misa had only ever sworn twice before in the year and a bit Kiyomi had known her, the first was when she screwed up a lyric in her practical music final exam last year, and the other time was when she dropped a tray of muffins she had baked for everyone.

Misa reviled swearing, she frequently criticized Mello for his gutter mouth claiming it was his 'worst feature'. She did this nearly as often as she berated Neo about her weekday drinking habits claiming they were 'dangerous to her health and showed a low self worth.'

Personally, Kiyomi agreed about both, and had once tried to talk to Mello and Neo respectively only to get verbally beaten back before she could begin. So the fact that Light had caused her to adopt both habits indicated to Kiyomi that the situation was far worse than she could possibly have imagined.

Kiyomi gave Neo a glance and a 'what the hell' expression. Neo rolled her eyes and shrugged, shooting back a scowl that said 'I don't know, she's Misa for God's sake'. Kiyomi really didn't know what she had been expecting, Neo was known for being maddeningly unhelpful in just about every facet of life.

'Misa…' Kiyomi began.

'Don't 'Misa' me, bitch.' Misa said, waving a pointed finger around wildly.

The words stung Kiyomi slightly, _'bitch? Is that how she sees me?'_ As a science student Kiyomi was aware of many common misconceptions, one of which was that alcohol made you 'say things you didn't mean.' This was quite simply untrue.

In fact alcohol, as Kiyomi was astutely aware, made you say things you completely meant. Kiyomi recited the information to herself out of habit, having long since become used to repeating things mentally as a method of learning, until she did it without even realising. _'Alcohol works as a depressant on the frontal lobe and therefore decision making. To put simply alcohol removes your inhibitions, therefore making you less cautious and more honest.'_

As a result Kiyomi knew that Misa meant what she said when she called her a 'bitch'. Kiyomi had been called many things over the years, bitch, among them. But the fact that Misa; charming, well-meaning, and generally kind, had said it made it hurt slightly more. _'Am I a bitch? I have tried to be kind to her and just because I like Light and he hurt her and not me she gets suddenly aggressive?'_

'Misa please…' Kiyomi said, trying to calm her.

'No.' Misa said, making her alcohol addled tongue form the words. 'Shut up, bitch.'

' _Right.'_ Kiyomi thought, having had enough of Misa. _'A bitch am I, well lets just see how bitch like I can be.'_ Even as she thought the words Kiyomi felt slightly sick at herself, Misa having so easily driven her into stooping to such a level. But right now Kiyomi didn't give a damn, she had tried to be considerate and compete fairly for Light but Misa had undone all that goodwill. _'I'm going to convince her never to like Light, then I'll take him for myself and crush her.'_

Kiyomi gave Neo a glance, the dark haired girl had a book out and seemed to be ignoring the conversation.

'Misa, what did Light do?'

'He led me on.' Misa said, lolling her head backwards and forwards slightly.

'Hmmm.' Kiyomi muttered in feigned consideration. 'Are you going to stand for that?'

'What?'

'Are you going to put up with it?'

Misa considered this, her inhibited brain struggling to decide on a single answer to Kiyomi's question.

'No…'

'That's right you're not.'

'But…' Misa began.

'But?' Kiyomi said, searching for anything to use.

'But I still love him!' Misa wailed drunkenly, hiding her face as new tears surged.

Kiyomi was taken aback, _'loves him? She loves him? What should I do?'_ Kiyomi tried to decide, this new information giving her a serious need for consideration. _'No, I still like Light, despite all of his flaws.'_ Kiyomi thought. _'And I will not let her get in the way, no matter what ridiculous rules we agreed upon. If she thinks I'm a bitch who am I to disagree?'_

'Do you want him to care about you?' Kiyomi asked with a fake sweetness.

Misa nodded like a small child.

'Well… make him jealous.'

'What?'

'Make Light want you more by making him jealous.'

'That seems mean…'

'Was he mean to you?'

'Yes.'

'Then it's only fair.'

'But I… why are you helping me don't you still like him?'

'I do and I still intend to have him, but I'm helping you because I'm still your friend.'

'My friend?'

'Yes Misa.' Kiyomi lied. 'And I still have your best interests at heart.'

Misa's eyes widened and she leapt onto Kiyomi, wrapping her in a suffocating hug. She squealed happily as she did so, she couldn't believe Kiyomi's words. _'Friend, best interests, oh maybe she is right, I'll take her advice, Light won't know what hit him!'_

Kiyomi fought against the hug, Misa's tight grip making it hard to breathe. She felt revolting for doing what she had just done, never in her life did she believe she would stoop so low. _'But I am Chang'e, and Light is Hou Yi. We are separated though we desire to be together.'_ Kiyomi knew that this was what she wanted more than anything, to eliminate Misa and to be with Light, but even now she was wondering if it had been worth it, if she could live with it. _'Too late to turn back.'_

Neo watched everything play out from the top of the bunk bed, silently absorbing the scene from the corner of her eye.

…

'Manipulating you?' Near repeated with a neutral expression.

Near worked to keep the shock off his face, he wasn't going to let Mello know that he was correct and that Near had in fact been manipulating him. _'How did he even figure it out?'_ Near thought angrily, he couldn't believe he had slipped up. What was worse was that Near wasn't certain what Mello was going to do now. Near had been expecting a barrage of angered words and insults followed by Mello leaving in a dramatic huff. Instead Mello was staring Near down, his Azure eyes penetrating Near's every defence, leaving the albino on the wrong foot and uncertain.

'Don't play dumb Near.' Mello said. 'Just tell me why.'

Mello kept his gaze fixed on Near's stormy eyes, the only indicator into the albino's thoughts and feelings. They were lit with bewilderment, the corners sparkling slightly as Near tried, Mello assumed, to regain control of the situation. Mello wasn't going to have it. _'No manipulation, no games, just truth.'_

'Tell me Near.' He repeated, letting a tinge of anger spice his tone.

Near turned away, hiding his face from Mello's imperious gaze. In the flicker of movement Mello caught an emotion that he had never seen in Near's eyes before. Shame. _'Near is ashamed, why?'_

'Mello… I'm sorry…'

'I don't want an apology Near, I want an explanation.' Said Mello, his tone becoming rougher and more aggressive.'

'Mello I…'

'Just tell me Near.' Mello snapped, raising his voice far louder then he meant to do.

As he yelled at Near there was another clap of thunder, the roaring of the sky mixed with Mello's harsh words, the two becoming intermingled and indistinguishable from the other. From the moment the first angry syllable left his mouth Mello knew he had pushed Near to far, the albino let out a terrified squeak and huddled himself as far away from Mello as he could manage.

Mello looked at Near, trying to find the right words to speak but coming up blank. _'I did this.'_ He thought as he watched Near shake uncontrollably. _'I fucking did this, damn it.'_ No amount of anger to dissuade Mello from how he really felt, he'd just wanted to stop the manipulation, to let Near know that he didn't have to force the blonde to like him. _'I already care about you Near, I'm not pretending.'_ Mello wanted to say the words but he knew they would sound hollow and worthless in the wake of his attack moments earlier.

Instead Mello wrapped his arms around Near's waist, pulling the albino close to him. Mello matched the curve of Nears back, sliding into position and using his own body to form a shell around Near's. The blonde didn't say anything, he didn't have to, Near understood the unspoken words. _'I'm here and I'm real, you don't have to force or pretend.'_

Near just nodded and moved his hands to grip Mello's. The blonde smiled inwardly and rested his head on Nears, enjoying the calm of the moment. He couldn't help but notice how soft Near's hair was, it was like rubbing his face into a silk pillow. He also noticed that it smelt good, really good, like coca and freshly washed sheets. A memory shot through Mello's mind, something Kiyomi had said, about how a persons scent influenced how attractive you found them. _'Well Near must be about the hottest thing'_ Mello thought humorously.

'Near.' Mello whispered.

'Yes?' Near whispered back.

'Whatever we are, whatever this is becoming, you can't control it.'

'But I don't know what to do.' Near said feebly.

'Just let go and enjoy it.' Mello said.

Near just nodded.

Mello pulled him in tighter, and the two sat there, listening to the rain drum on the roof. They were perfectly calm, whatever issues they had put to the back of their minds for now. Outside the thunder passed and the rain slowly to a steady but diminished beating until that too passed and all that was left was the river of rainwater running through the gutters and their synchronised breathing.

'It's late.' Mello said finally.

He wriggled out of position, and stepped out of the wardrobe. He gave Near a little grin.

'I'm going back to my room.'

Near nodded and rubbed his eyes sleepily.

'And Near.'

'Hmm?'

'I was serious you know.'

'About?'

Mello gave Near another grin and walked over to the door.

'You owe me a dance.' Mello said with a sly wink.

Near just gave a small grin back.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Oo La La! Near owes Mello a dance, they're drawing closer and closer together... And the situation with Light just gets messier, many new things await! I'm not entirely certain I'm happy with the chapter but, oh well. Please leave a review if you are so inclined!_


	18. Memories: Burnt by a Broken Promise

_A/N: Yes I know, a second upload? How can this be! Well it's another flashback chapter!_

 _Disclaimer: Still, I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

 _'Will I ever see you again?' Asked the little blonde with tears in his eyes._

 _He stood in the foyer of an old and decaying orphanage, its wooden flooring worn down by decades of use. The blonde gripped his mother tightly, she had a face that was weary and battered, the stress of her life having stolen all the youth and vigour she once possessed._

' _Of course.' She whispered. 'You'll stay here until I find a job, then you can come home.'_

' _Promise?' The boy said._

' _I promise.' The woman said, gripping the boy tightly. 'I love you so much Mihael.'_

 _The two stood there in silence, neither able to find the words to console the other, the boy fearing what would come next. He would be separated, the only constant presence in his life torn away by the raging current that was life and sent careening down a different fork in the river. He didn't know where the two rivers led, what bends and turns awaited them, but he hoped they would be reunited._

' _Excuse me.' A small nun said. 'Your room is ready.'_

 _Mihael's mother released from the hug, but the boy held on, gripping tightly as if by holding on he could stop the inevitable._

' _I have to go.' The mother said calmly._

' _I don't want you too.' The boy protested._

' _I don't want to either.'_

' _Then stay.' He cried. 'Stay.'_

' _I can't.'_

' _Please.'_

' _I can't Mihael.'_

' _Mum…'_

 _She hugged him again, holding him in the way only a mother could. She didn't know when she would see him again, if she would ever see him again._

' _Be strong.' She said. 'Promise me you will do that.'_

' _I promise.' The boy sobbed._

 _She released him from the hug and looked at him, giving her best attempt at a reassuring smile. The boy just cried some more. The mother felt tears coming on too but held them back, she had to set an example for him. Instead she wiped the tears from his brilliant azure eyes._

' _I love you.' She whispered, and then planted a kiss of his forehead._

 _She left, walking out into the biting winter wind. Mihael watched her leave from his window, watching as she disappeared into the snow, leaving only footprints behind her._

 _Slowly the footprints were covered up until there was nothing left but his memories of her._

…

 _Months later Mihael stood out the front of his home. The sky was filled with dark clouds that released a torrent of rain onto the earth. Mihael was soaked from head to toe, having walked across the city to return home. The journey had left him weary, cold, and sore, but it was a journey he had to undertake, he had to go home and find her._

 _He went up to the old door and knocked on it, his hands causing the heavy oak to boom softly. The booming knocks rang around the inside of the house. No one answered. Mihael knocked again and again, until he was drumming his hands on the door begging that his mother would come answer, begging her to be there like she had promise him._

 _Still nobody answered._

 _Mihael ran around to the back of the house and climbed up the drain, gripping the slippery wet metal tightly. He reached the window to his room and pushed it open, the broken latch giving way and letting him crawl through into the house._

 _It was dark inside, the lights were all out and in their places shadows lurked, engulfing the interior in black. Mihael picked up the candle he kept in his room and lit it, creating a small sanctuary of light in the forest of darkness._

 _He began to explore the house, searching for his mother. He flicked the switches, there was no power. He looked through every room, his need turning into desperation and then a frenzy. She wasn't in her bedroom or the bathroom, she was no where upstairs._

 _Mihael ran downstairs, she wasn't in the kitchen either. He was beginning to panic now, he needed her to be here, to prove that her promise still meant something and that he wasn't alone._

 _He ran into the living room and saw her._

 _Her body was slumped over the edge of the patched couch, grey and lifeless, an empty sleeping pill bottle in her hand. Mihael dropped the candle and ran to shake her, trying to wake her, tears running down his face._

' _Wake up mum, wake up.' He pleaded. 'You promised me, you have to wake up, don't leave me alone, don't leave me alone. You promised.'_

 _Mihael fell silent, the sadness stealing his ability to speak. He just wept quietly until eventually he smelt it._

 _Burning._

 _He whipped his head around, the candle he'd dropped has caused a flame which had spread across the carpet and jumped up a curtain, the room becoming engulfed in a flaming inferno._

' _Mum wake up we have to go!' He said shaking the body. 'Mum you promised, we have to go!'_

 _The house was slowly consumed by flames._

…

 _Two days later Mihael awoke in a sterile white room._

 _His face stung with pain._

 _He blinked again and then realised, half his face was covered in a bandage._

 _The left side of his face felt like it was on fire it hurt so much._

 _Fire._

 _Mihael remember how the fire had engulfed the house, how his mother wouldn't awake, how he couldn't breathe because of all the smoke and collapsed. Just before he blacked out he remembered the flame swirling around him and licking at him, burning his face. Someone, he didn't know who had burst into the house, a silhouetted saviour who picked him up and carried him from the fiery hell as he slipped into unconsciousness._

 _Mihael couldn't remember who they were, they never contacted him again._

 _He was left alone._

 _No family, no friends, just a boy in an orphanage._

 _All he had was the broken promise and a scar across his face to remind him._

* * *

A/N: Well that was horribly tragic, I hope I didn't depress anyone. Anyway now you know the story of Mello! Feel free to review and stay tuned from another chapter!


	19. Chapter 16: Dance Like You Want It!

_A/N: Thank you for all the amazing reviews on the last chapter! Enjoy this new one!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

The sun returned the next day, washing the grounds in a lacklustre warmth, and with it returned Near and Misa. The drama of the previous days had worn down everyone until now the return was accepted without questions. Even the nosey Matt couldn't bring himself to ask about their absence.

Instead the normal routine resumed, the eight travelling to their classes on the Thursday and Friday. The grounds were becoming increasingly cold, the weather forecasts showing that winter would be coming early this year. It seemed to be the case, with the grounds being covered in a thick layer of frost every morning that left Near's socks soaked through by the time he'd travelled to his first class of the day. Mello and Matt insisted that he should buy some shoes but he refused. Neo took his side saying 'I'm kinda hoping he gets frostbite and we have to cut off his foot.'

The winter had certainly claimed the grounds. No longer were the trees crowned with golden leaves that glowed in the sun, instead they were a bare ghostly white, now possessing a gothic beauty. The infamous 'Wammy Winter Wind' had also begun to blow in full, sweeping across the landscape. Now students huddled indoors in their free hours, dressing themselves in jackets and coats to keep out the cold.

At this stage Neo's constant attire of red jacket and grey scarf no longer seemed out of place as it had when the whether was warmer. The others has hastened the beat the mothballs out of their own winter wardrobes, Mello breaking out his infamous leather trench coat. Near had also started to dress for warmth, for the first time fully appreciating all the clothes the others had bought him. A personal favourite of his was a sky blue hoodie with white sleeves that had 'super duper' written across its front in big bubble lettering. It was several sizes to large for the albino, coming halfway down his thighs, but he did, as Matt had hastened to point out to Mello, 'look really adorable.'

However other people had also begun to take notice of this, girls commenting on how Near looked 'so cute.' This was much to Mellos chagrin, and he was only able to tolerate this attention due to the fact that Near seemed totally oblivious to them to such a point that one morning he asked Mello 'what they were whispering about'.

As a result, by the time Saturday came around the eight were eagerly anticipating being able to waste a few hours at Beyond Birthday's. Their usual spot was reserved and the eight lounged around on the antique furniture, enjoying the lit fireplace and cushy couches. Linda came around with a wide smile on her face, the group seemingly never happier than ever.

However that impression was not entirely accurate, Misa and Kiyomi once more resuming their war of double meaning and subtext, not that anyone besides Neo really seemed to notice. Neo grew so frustrated that she wound up stirring her sugarless coffee, creating a deep black whirlpool of motion, just to release some of the tension.

Misa was growing confused at the air of animosity between her and Kiyomi. She couldn't remember much of Wednesday night, _'God I'm such a lightweight',_ but she was certain, and Neo confirmed so, that Kiyomi had told her 'their friendship meant more than Light'. And yet here she was now, doing verbal battle with her. Misa was slightly distressed about it; Kiyomi wasn't one to normally send mixed messages. In the end she attributed it to the fact that, _'she has feelings for Light, so of course there's going to be competition!'_

After wasting away an entire morning the group left, dispersing into two smaller teams.

There was an ornate plan afoot, a plan which Near was totally oblivious to, the other seven having orchestrated around him in total secrecy. Neo had informed the others that's Near's birthday was coming up on the Wednesday, and everyone had immediately leapt into preparation overdrive, making plans, organising food, and brainstorming presents. When they finished they had amassed a plan so ornate that it would require a large amount of effort to pull off, as they had to shop for all of the required materials that weekend.

Originally they had been planning to make some lousy excuse to draw away Near, but there had been no need, seeing as Near had come to Matt with an unusual request earlier that week.

'Matt?' Near had said quietly, after pulling the red head aside in class.

'Yeah?'

'Could I ask for your help with something?'

Matt had wondered what Near could need help with. Near was smarter than him and Neo was his preferred go-to with any kind of dilemma (whether that was for better or worse was still undecided). The albino had looked slightly embarrassed, which made Matt even more curious, after all, Near never seemed to get embarrassed about anything.

'With what?'

'Well…' Near had said slowly, as if mustering up the courage to speak the words. 'I need you to teach me how to dance.'

Matt had literally fallen off his chair.

He couldn't believe it at the time, _'Near? Dance? What?'_ But when Near had explained that Mello had made him promise a dance Matt had understood. He told Near they would practice on the Saturday, giving the others a perfect half day to hunt down presents and buy party materials, both in town and other nearby locations.

Present ideas had been difficult to come up with. They had tried to come up with a list on Thursday, giving themselves all day to think of things, but Near seemed to disinterested in material possessions it had been almost impossible.

In the end it had been L who had come up with the master plan to get present ideas. He had sent Neo to barge into Near's room and demand the use of his mobile phone. Neo's (made up) reasoning had been:

'Misa had been cleaning our room and she put my phone on top of her trashy magazines, I can't use something that's been in contact with such poor literature!'

Near had accepted this with minimal fuss, he was so used to Neo's… unusual prejudices, that it actually seemed plausible. The albino leant her the phone to use and she texted Near's mothers number over to the others. She had been expecting a search through a long contacts list, but Near's mother was the only number saved. _'God he must have been a lonely kid.'_ She had then thanked Near for the use of his phone, told him to close the blinds as the she found the natural light disturbing, and returned back to others.

They had then called his mother, letting Misa do all the talking.

'Hello?' Mrs River shouted down the phone line.

'Oh, hello is this Mrs River?' Misa had asked in her chirpiest voice.

'Yes…' Mrs River responded suspiciously. 'Who is this?'

'I'm Misa Amane!'

'Who?'

'Misa Amane…' Misa had said less enthusiastically. 'Hasn't Near ever mentioned me?'

'Near?'

'Your son.'

'Oh you mean Nate.'

'Yes Nate!' She said more brightly. 'Well I'm one of his friends.'

'Really? Because she should know his name.'

'Ah.' Misa said with a nervous laugh. 'You see we just call him Near, you know, as like a friendly name that you give someone you know really well that has extra meaning that only you understand…'

'You mean a nickname.'

'Yeah…' Misa said, mentally slapping herself on the forehead. 'A nickname.'

It had taken several minutes but Misa had finally won over Mrs River and gotten her to give them a good list of presents they could get Near. Now, Mello, L, Light, Kiyomi, and Misa went hunting for presents whilst Matt and Neo took Near back to the school to find an abandoned classroom where they could teach him how to dance.

'So.' Matt said to a nervous looking Near. 'What dance moves do you know?'

Near shifted where he stood, he looked lonely and small in the centre of the room, all the desks having been moved up against the walls. He coughed awkwardly and then said:

'Um, I don't know any.'

Matt grinned and cast a glance at Neo, who sat on a chair with a copy of 'Dracula' open. Neo rolled her eyes at Matt and then returned with an equally mischievous grin. Near watched the exchange and gulped, he didn't know what Matt had planned but now he was worried.

'Is it alright that I don't know any?' He asked nervously.

Matt ruffled Nears hair in a brother-ish kind of way.

'It's perfect little guy.'

'It is?' Near said with relief. 'Why?'

'Because you're a blank slate, I can teach you whatever I want.'

'Ok…'

'So you need to learn so you can dance with Mello at the Halloween Ball.' Matt stated.

'Yes.'

'So you want to impress him?'

'Yes.'

'Entice him?'

'Um…'

'Allure him?'

'Well…'

'Seduce him?'

'I just…'

'Just say yes for all of them.' Neo called from where she sat, not even looking up from her book. 'It'll be easier that way.'

Near sighed, he couldn't believe what he was about to subject himself to, _'have Matt teach me to dance? This is humiliating.'_ Near wasn't entirely sure he trusted Matt not to take advantage of him. In reality Near just wanted to go back to his room and play with his toys, not subject himself to hours of dance instruction. _'Its for Mello.'_ He kept reminding himself. _'You want to impress Mello.'_

'Ok.' Matt said. 'First thing I'm gonna get you to do is just freestyle, see what your natural dancing is like.'

'Freestyle?'

'Yeah.' Matt said. 'Neo's gonna play some funky fresh rhymes and you're just gonna dance however you want.'

'I'm going to play some what?' Neo asked in disbelief at Matts word choice, the boys ignored her indignation.

'Matt I…' Near began.

'Just trust me.' He said reassuringly. 'Neo, music?'

Neo released a drawn out sigh and put down her book, walking over to the speakers and phone dock they had set up.

'Any 'funky fresh rhyme' preference? She asked, repeating Matt unusual phrase with a condescending tone and a sly grin.

'Just hit shuffle.' He said with a groan, he knew that she was going to bully him about that for a while.

Neo did so and the room was immediately filled with a loud bellowing hum, a sound that was a mix of a thousand rumbling stomaches and the call of a whale. Matt gave Neo a look that said, 'seriously?' She rolled her eyes in response, making no move to change the 'music'.

'Neo, what the hell is this?' Matt shouted over the deafening sound.

'It's a thousand Tibetan monks praying.' She shouted back.

There were a lot of questions Matt wanted to ask, they included 'why do you have that on your phone?', 'Are you actually kidding me?', 'Where did you even get it?', and 'Please tell me you didn't spend money on this?'. To some extent Matt wasn't even surprised, but he had actually believed that Neo might possibly have a regular music taste, _'obviously I was wrong.'_

'Can you just put on something semi-normal?'

This got another eye roll but Neo searched for a new song all the same. After a few moments the humming cut of and was replaced by a steady drumbeat. After a few seconds a violin joined, playing an upbeat tune that sounded slightly screechy but strangely pleasing to the ears. The vocals then began, the lead had a strange warbling voice that made only every third word he sang understandable.

"Poor old Johnny Ray

Sounded sad upon the radio

But he moved a million hearts in mono

Our mothers cried

Sang along

Who'd blame them

You've grown, so grown

Now I must say more than ever

(Come On Eileen)

Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

And we can sing just like our fathers"

Matt's confusion at Neo's music only increased. _'First Tibetan monks and now 'Come on Eileen'? That girl makes no sense sometimes.'_

'Come on Near.' Matt said. The red head began to dance, letting his body take full control.

The result was a strange jumpy dance, Matt bringing one knee to his chest and back down to the floor again in time with the music. He alternated between knees in time with the beat, bringing one up to his chest and then the other repeatedly. Whilst he did this he swung his arms backwards and forwards wildly, almost hitting Near in the head.

Near was completely confused and really had no idea what to do.

'Just dance!' Matt said with a laugh.

Near groaned inwardly, _'why am I subjecting myself to this?'_ Regardless of his embarrassment he began to move with the music. He started by taking small steps in time with the music, alternating between one foot and the other, just staying on the stop and restricting himself to that one movement.

'You can do better than that!' Neo said, Matt nodded in agreement.

Near wanted to stop dancing, go back to his room and never see anyone again. Instead he began to let his arms flow around him. They twisted and untwisted like snakes, slinking around him in movements that seemed completely independent of the rest of his body. As he did this Near also began to sink the floor and rise back up quickly. He took advantage of his lithe physique, letting one movement mix into the next so the transitions were undetectable and his entire dance appeared to be a single fluid action rather than many smaller ones.

'There we go!' Matt said with a laugh. 'Its adorable kiddo!'

He then reached out his hand to Neo, who rolled her eyes but took it, joining in with erratic and quite frankly awful dancing. She moved her hips from side to side and swung her scarf over her head, creating a strange mix of a line dancer and a stripper. When Near noticed that neither of them were taking their dancing seriously he relaxed a little, a small grin emerging on his pale face.

The music dropped down into a slow beat with only the drums and the vocalists. Matt pulled Neo and Near into a circle and motioned them to follow his lead. He began to put on limb into the centre of the circle, pull it out, and then switch to another limb, in a series of movements not all that dissimilar to the hockey pokey.

"Come on Eileen, too-loo-rye-aye

Come on Eileen, too-loo-rye-aye

Now you're full grown

Now you have shown

Oh, Eileen

Say, come on Eileen

These things they are real and I know

How you feel

Now I must say more than ever

Things round here have changed

I say, too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye-aye"

As the chorus started up again the three all burst into random erratic movements. Near completely let loose, moving his body around like a person possessed, now having totally forgotten his self consciousness. When the music came to a stop the three were all red faced and out of breath, but were smiling the biggest smiles imaginable.

'Ok.' Matt said. 'I have a few ideas based off your dance style.'

'You do?' Neo said disbelievingly. 'Not to be rude Near, but you suck.'

'No offence taken.' Near said.

'I do have some ideas, and one very good one.' Matt said, readjusting his goggles purposefully.

'Ok, go.' Neo challenged, genuinely curious as to what Matt could come up with, she knew as well as anyone that he could be the biggest moron or the most intelligent of all their friends, so maybe he might have something. Maybe.

'Well, Neo, Near did a lot of knee bending and crouching in his dance…'

'Right.' She said.

'And I was thinking we take that…'

'And…'

'Speed it up a bit…'

'Into…'

'A very popular dance move, one of my personal favorites…'

Neo thought about this for a moment, running through a list of possibilities. _'Matt likes to dance, so that could mean a range of things… but it involves crouching so we can rule out the dance routine from Pulp Fiction…'_

Then it hit her.

Her jaw dropped.

'Matt you can't be serious.' She said, not even a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

'I am.' He said.

'You can't teach him that, he's still a kid!' she exclaimed.

'Teach me what?' Near asked, growing slightly concerned.

'The best dance move ever…' Matt said in a grandiose voice.

Neo scoffed a laugh at this.

'And that is?' Near asked worriedly.

'I'm going to teach you to slut drop.'

Near didn't know what a 'slut drop was' but he didn't like the sound of it.

When Matt finished demonstrating how it was done he was certain he didn't like it.

After three hours of practicing it and other terrible dance moves Near was fairly certain he never wanted to dance again.

But, by the end of the day, Near knew how to dance, and whilst he may have hated it he knew Mello would love it.

…

While Matt and Neo had been physically torturing Near all afternoon the others had been scurrying around town looking for the correct 'supplies' for the party. The food and 'other consumables' (upon which Neo had insisted they buy an ample amount) had been easy enough to come by in town; it was the gifts that were proving more of an issue.

Nears mother had given them an extensive list of items they could buy for him, with options ranging from toys to a new bedspread (which he was apparently in need of) to his favourite sweets. However none of these or any of the other options really seemed to meet their standards.

The unspoken rule was that each present had to not only be something the person would like, but also reflect the personality of the giver, and as such toys, bedspreads, and sweets seemed slightly impersonal by their standards (except, of course, for L, from whom sweets would be an entirely appropriate gift).

As a result, they were now two towns over, leaving a trail of obliterated stores behind them. They'd managed to find presents for almost everyone by now, with only Mello being left. He was insisting that it had to be 'fucking perfect', criteria that no item seemed able to match.

Now it was getting close to closing time for most shops and they were no closer to a present. The five had searched through every other shop in the third town they'd visited, and with little time left, resorted to exploring the dusty looking second hand store, with windows so grimy that it looked as if no one had entered the establishment in a century.

Now Mello, Kiyomi, and Misa trawled their way through shelves and piles of randomly assorted items, the ferocity of their search seeming to concern the old couple that ran the establishment. L and Light watched from their seat on a dusty old chest, its iron hinges worn and rusted, it looked like it hadn't been opened for years. Neither of them were particularly fond of shopping, so having spent half a day searching through shop after shop had sapped the energy from them.

'Hold on, I think I've found something…' Misa called from a corner.

Matt and Kiyomi both ran to her position, eager to see what she had located. Misa extracted herself and presented to them what she had found, a skull that had been painted in blacks and pinks.

'It's cute don't you think?' She said with a grin.

Mello rolled his eyes and returned to the shelf he was halfway through searching. Kiyomi gave Misa a condescending look and left as well, leaving the blonde looking slightly disappointed. The old lady walked over to her.

'Ah, a good choice if I do say so.' She said in a croaky tone.

'Really?' Misa asked.

'Yes.' The old lady confirmed. 'Only twenty-five dollars, it was the skull of my great uncle Henry.'

'Wait this is a real skull?' Misa screeched.

'Yes…'

'Ew!' She squealed, throwing it into a pile of old clothes and curtains. 'I can't believe a touched that! Who even paints the skulls of their relatives?'

Kiyomi and Mello both snickered from their respective piles, Misa shot them a glare. L watched Light's reaction to this out of the corner of his eyes, the brunette looked concerned for the blonde, sitting on the very edge of the trunk, his body tensed and ready to jump up at a moments notice. Despite his obvious agitation L was fairly certain Light wouldn't move to help Misa.

While Light was displayed an (quite frankly) alarming level of ignorance in situations of flirtation he was so oblivious to other emotions, the current resentment Misa held toward him being one such example. Light wasn't sure what he had done, but ever since the day she'd skipped class she had been giving him the cold shoulder, practically pretending that he didn't exist. What as even stranger, in Lights opinion, was how close she was getting to other guys. Light had caught her flirting with a least half a dozen guys in class, flicking her hair and laughing at their jokes, no matter how terrible they were.

This totally confused Light.

After all, he had been certain that she would have asked him out by now, _'she couldn't have possibly missed my invitation could she? I was so obnoxious about it that she must have realised.'_ Light didn't believe Misa could be that ignorant.

Light sighed, his heavy breath causing a tiny blizzard of dust to pick up from the pile of items in front of him blow across the shop. He had wished that the whole debacle would simply disappear and it looked like it had, Misa having gone from enamoured with him to seemingly oblivious of his existence. _'It's what I wanted, shouldn't I be happy?'_ He thought bitterly. _'I should be, but I'm not.'_

Instead of relief and ease at the fact that a potentially awkward situation had been avoided Light felt worse than he had in years. It was like someone had brewed up an emotional storm within him, his feelings on the whole situation swinging from resentment toward Misa to a bitter self-loathing. His insides would churn every time she ignored him and he'd feal a hot ember of anger begin to burn every time she flirted with someone else. Light was very aware of the emotion that was plaguing him, it just seemed so impossible. _'Me, jealous about Misa, but I don't even like her, I think.'_

L had been watching Light all week, he didn't know the details about what had happened between him and Misa, but he stayed concerned for his friend all the same. _'Friend?'_ He thought. _'That's not all we are, we're equals, confidants, and rivals, all in one.'_ They battled wits often, intellectually sparring in the same casual manner that one might make small talk. L knew that Light trusted him more than any other person alive. L alone knew more secrets about the brunette than the other six put together.

So it was only natural that L would be able to read Lights feelings all too easily, and right at this moment he was concerned about Misa. L was the only one who noticed as well, Kiyomi and Misa were too self-involved. Matt was more interested in Near and Mello, and those two could barely manage five minutes of time for anyone else in their lives. The only person L was never entirely certain about was Neo, but he was inclined to believe her claims that she 'hates all people and doesn't care a bit.'

So, as it stood, L was the only one of their friends who noticed that yet another of their ranks had fallen into a deeply intoxicating infatuation. L couldn't say he was the most emotional person, in fact he was about as far from emotional as you could get. But watching Light fall for someone made him, both warm and bitter. _'I'm glad you found someone Light, you really deserve it, I just wish it could have been me.'_

L shook his head, he'd known that he and Light could never have work, they had transgressed normal boundaries of friendship. If L was force to pick an equivalent, he would have likened himself and Light to Mello and Matt, two people who knew each other so well that a relationship was forever off the table. L had always accepted this, he and Light had known each other for several years before coming to Wammy's so their bond was strong, _'but why does it suddenly hurt now?'_

' _Hurt?'_ L thought, surprised at his emotive choice of words. _'Yes, hurt.'_ It was some kind of unquantifiable pain that he had never know before, worse even than the time he had gotten a cavity from too much sugar and had been forced to not eat sweets _. 'And that was the worst period of my entire life'_ L thought with a little shudder.

No this pain was different, it wasn't a physical pain or even and emotional sting. This pain was a pulling, his heart desired two things at the same time and reached for both. He wanted Light to be happy with Misa, to support a relationship between them because that's what friends did. But equally he wanted Light to notice him instead, to happiness together with him rather than together with her. His hearted wanted both and they were opposites, as a result he fell short of both, divided.

'Hey Misa.' L said.

She shot around to look at him, she had been sulking about because of her idea being so completely rejected. Light had been looking at her the whole time, like he wanted to reach out and help her but was stopped by the knowledge that tensions were still high between them. L couldn't stand to see him like that and had decided to take action.

'Yeah L?' She said.

'Don't you think Neo would love that skull? You could save it for her birthday instead.'

Misa's dejected expression rose into a far more upbeat one, her face glowing with excitement. She picked up the skull and took it to the counter. Light relaxed and sat back down, giving L a small smile of thanks before turning away again. L returned the smile and wished Light could have looked at him for just a few seconds longer.

After another fifteen minutes of digging around through the shop Mello finally found a present, and after a quick deliberation with the others bought it. With their shopping finally complete, the five made the return drive back to the campus.

…

The following day was even colder than the one before. The air held a frosty bite that kept most of the students secluded to their dorms all day. The sun sat high in the sky but it didn't seem to warm the air at all, it's heat being stolen by the bitter winds.

Matt, at this point in time was really wishing he had stayed inside as he, Near, Neo, Misa, and L all made a journey into town. They were all dressed in multiple layers of clothing, except for L, who despite the horrible weather still insisted on wearing only a white shirt and jeans. _'His toes are going to freeze off.'_ Matt thought to himself. _'It's ridiculous, even Near at least has socks on!'_

Their breaths made them all look like chain smokers each exhale creating a little cloud of steam. Whilst they all would rather have been rugged up at this point in time, they had a very serious matter to attend to, a matter that went beyond any need for comfort.

Near didn't have a Halloween outfit.

When Matt and Neo had found out the day before after all their practice they had practically screamed at him in astonishment. Near had jumped halfway across the room in surprise, his eyes wide, and had tried to explain to him that he 'really didn't see the point'.

They had cut him off quickly.

The two off them explained to Near that 'he had to have a costume', how 'it was practically mandatory that he have one', and 'if he didn't he'd have been wasting a golden opportunity to impress Mello'. Near had begrudgingly agreed to go and get one in town (he was already feeling pretty low after having spent an hour and a half mastering a 'slut drop' and really didn't feel up to spending yet more time physically humiliating himself, but for Mello he was willing, just).

And so Matt had gotten support from all the people he could find, namely; Neo, Misa, and L. He would have liked Light or Kiyomi as they were more qualified on matters of fashion than either Neo or L. However, Light was, in the words of L, 'busy with his criminology assessment' and Kiyomi was in a frenzy trying to get the Halloween Ball ready for the following Friday.

They walked into "Able and Stable's" which was the best cloths store in town. Near had been sat down and asked to wait patiently whilst the others began searching through racks of clothes for potential outfits. Luckily for them Mello always dressed as the same thing on Halloween, a Vampire. So finding Near a costume that went with Mello's became a remarkably easier task.

Matt had issued very specific instructions as to what they were looking for, and after ten minutes of picking out different items they returned to Near. They handed him a wardrobes worth of clothes and told him to try them all on. He gave them an exasperated look but didn't resist, having long resigned himself to his fate.

While Near changed Misa and Neo wondered off to look at some clothes for themselves, leaving Matt alone with L.

Matt looked L up and down, trying to decipher the raven-haired boys feelings and thoughts. It proved difficult, more even than Near because of the large bags under his eyes that gave him the appearance of being exhausted when he was alert and thoughtful. Matt finally gave up and sighed, _'helping him is going to be even more difficult than helping Mello and Near, huh?'_

'L.' Matt said.

'Hmmm?'

'I've been wondering right? There's all this emotional and relationship stuff going around at the moment.'

'Yes, I suppose so.'

'Well, are you interest in anyone?' Matt asked, turning to face L. 'I know there was that rumour about you liking Misa, but that was totally crap, I'm talking like an actual interest.'

L looked Matt up and down, assessing his possible motives and where the conversation might be leading. He wanted to tell Matt everything, explain the issues he was having and ask for the red heads advice. But there was something, a strange sensation that made him hesitant, as if telling the truth would do nothing to simply the situation.

' _Come on'_ Matt thought, _'just admit you like Light so I can help you!'_

'No Matt.' L lied. 'There isn't anyone I am interested in.'

'Come on.' Matt said teasingly, he wasn't about to give up that easily. 'We're all human, isn't there someone?'

'No.' L lied again. 'I doubt there ever will be anyone.'

'L.' Matt said. 'If there is someone for Near then there is someone for you. Besides, you have to like someone, it's like a rule or something.'

The more Matt pushed the more L could feel his defences giving way, he so desperately wanted to explain everything to Matt. He knew that Matt would listen and have some pearl of wisdom as he always did. _'But I can't tell what the consequences might be.'_ L thought. _'I can't bring myself to do it.'_

Instead, L decided to change the subject.

'I could ask the same of you.' He remarked coolly.

'What?'

'Well.' L explained. 'Is there someone you are interested in?'

Matt thought about this. _'Someone I'm interested in?'_ He realised that in his dedication to sorting out everyone else's relationships he'd completely neglected himself. He wasn't even sure if he would know whether he liked someone at this point.

' _Well it's certainly not Kiyomi and Misa, I mean they're hot and stuff but that situation is such a mess.'_ Matt thought more about the idea, there were a lot of amazing girls (and guys) at Wammy's. _'There's Nora from the year below, and Sammy from the computer class.'_ Matt had crushed on both those girls before and almost asked them out, but he decided that he liked neither in that way any more.

' _Who else?'_ Matt considered. _'There's Jean, like if I were to choose a guy, which is not out of the realm of possibility, then it would probably be him.'_ But Matt realised he wasn't really interested in him either. _'Am I forgetting someone? I mean there's Neo, and she's smoking, but she's always been more of a sister than an interest, right?'_

Before Matt could answer his own question Near emerged from the changing room.

Matt and L's eyes both went wide, they called the other two over and they were equally impressed. Near looked incredible in the outfit, it showed off a whole new aspect of him. It made him look powerful but vulnerable, forcing Near to flaunt his body in a way that he normally avoided. _'Its amazing,'_ Matt thought, _'and a little bit sexy'_ he noted as Near did a spin, showing off the back.

'I'm not sure about this…' Near said self-consciously.

'So with a little make up…' Misa said, completely ignoring the albino.

'It'll be perfect.' Matt said.

Mello was going to love it.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: So what did you guys think? I tried to keep this chapter a bit lighter after the last one. Anyway, Near's birthday is coming up in the next chapter and the Halloween Ball after that, it's going to get mighty interesting! Please leave a review and stay posted for the next chapter!_


	20. Chapter 17: Shape of Things to Come

_A/N: I'm sorry about how long it took me to get this chapter out, but I've had the HSC happening (Thats the final exams here in Australia) and now I've finished school! It's_ _really weird. Anyway, got a bit off topic there, enjoy the new chapter!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Death Note. Yet *insert sinister laugh*._

* * *

It was a day out from Nears birthday and two days out from the Halloween Ball. The entire group, minus Kiyomi, who was hastily preparing for the Halloween Ball, walked across the chilly campus. They all spoke and joked loudly, a great sense of relief washing through the group.

Near, Mello, and Light had just presented their criminology assessments.

It was strange, as it was only those three who did the subject but as the due date edged closer the entire group had become tenser with anticipation. They could all sense the stress, the haste to pull everything together and have it ready in time. Mello and Near had done a lot of catching up, seeing as they had missed the two days because of Near locking himself in his room and they had lost whole weekend due to 'other circumstances' (Near still hadn't fully recovered his pride after all the dancing). As a result they had essentially locked themselves in Near's room all Monday and Tuesday, leaving only for classes, food, and when Mello returned to his dorm to sleep.

Light had been equally behind, Miss Naomi had not let him drop Adeline as his partner and so had been forced to work with her. After the incident in the Library Adeline had been even less cooperative than before, purposefully going out of her way to undermine the entire process. She wouldn't communicate with Light in any way save for unhelpful grunts and condescending sniffs, and when she was asked to do something she would proceed to do the exact opposite, making the process more difficult. Clearly she still believed that he had come onto her in the Library and not the other way around.

So by the time Wednesday came around both pairs were completely exhausted. Mello and Near had gotten less than six hours of sleep between them over the last three days and presented the assessment to the class in a tired monotone. Light had even less energy, having ultimately decided just to do the rest of the work himself and let Adeline take the credit. As a result he had gotten no sleep whatsoever and struggled to stay awake during his presentation. In the end Mello and Near ended up taking the top mark of the class, and Light, much to his chagrin, wound up with the 'average' mark (he blamed this result solely on Adeline).

Neo, Matt, Misa, and L had all been waiting outside the classroom, having skipped out on their own classes early. When the three emerged they practically crushed them with questions and suffocated them in excitement. After a quick discussion it was agreed that they would go back to someone's dorm so they could celebrate and relax a little bit. After that they all planned to turn in early seeing as there was two big days coming up.

'Man.' Matt remarked. 'I just can't believe that Light has actually been defeated.'

'Well some people are just destined to fail.' Neo said with an evil grin.

'Shut up Neo.' Light snapped, then when he noticed that he had just shouted at Neo for being herself, added apologetically. 'Sorry.'

'It's alright, I like it when people are unhappy.' Neo said.

Light wasn't angry at Neo for what she had said, it was hardly out of the ordinary. He was angry at having been beaten at his own game, it had never happened before, _'but now because of some overweight French pig I'm second best, Mello's never going to let me hear the end of it.'_ Light sighed, _'all this plus the Misa situation, I don't think I can handle it all.'_

'It's all right.' L said comfortingly. 'I deduce that Adeline is 85% percent responsible for your result and without her you would have scored much higher.'

'What's the other 15%?' Light asked.

'Yeah?' Matt added.

L realised that he had just dug himself a very deep hole. _'How do I explain that Misa and Kiyomi's distraction is responsible for another 5% and the other 10% is due to his attraction to Misa? How to I explain that without offending him and Misa simultaneously?'_ L wasn't certain how to respond to any of these issues, seeing as diplomacy and tact were hardly his forte. But as the momentary silence extended over several seconds he could feel himself being pushed towards the hole anyway, his indecision being just as decisive as any singular move he could chose. _'I just shouldn't have spoken.'_

Neo recognized all this and decided to be sympathetic and intervene.

'Near, are you going to have enough food for us all?' Neo asked, layering her voice with equal amounts of biting sarcasm and dry sincerity so as to completely gain everyone's attention.

Near gave her wide eyed expression, he'd been day dreaming for the last minute or so and Neo's abrupt question had drawn him back into reality very quickly. As Neo had predicted the others also shifted their focus onto the albino, relieving L of any need to answer the question. _'They're so controllable sometimes.'_

'Pardon?' Near said.

'Will you have enough food for us all?'

'Yes, I had some delivered yesterday.'

Neo gave a small nod.

The group rounded the corner and began to walk down the hallway toward Nears dorm. Near stopped in his tracks, and the others, who had resumed a vibrant conversation, ran into him almost knocking him to the ground.

'Near, what the fuck?' Mello asked.

The he saw it, the reason why Near had stopped.

The door to his dorm was open, a sliver of light from the rooms interior splaying out into the slightly darker hall.

Mello gave Near a glance, the albino's mind was racing, his storm coloured eyes giving an insight into the possibilities and probabilities that were running through his mind. The others looked inquisitively at the door, then back at Near, waiting to see what his reaction would be. Finally Near exhaled quietly and straightened up, as if preparing himself for some unpleasant ordeal.

Mello knew what it meant, he had seen Near react that way to only one other thing.

Near stepped toward the door and the others all followed him quietly, shadowing him about a meter back. Near opened the door slightly, the others all waited with anticipation.

'Nate, honey!' A voice screamed from within Near's dorm.

A small woman in a large fur coat ran through the door and wrapped Near in a wide hug, pulling the small boys body tightly against her own. The others all blinked in surprise. They'd all heard the voice before, it was hard not to when the woman in question screamed down the phone as if you were deaf, but they hadn't expected her to be so different from her son.

Mrs River.

She was a small woman, only a few inches taller than her son and with an equally slight build. But what she lacked in size she more than made up for in personality, her ambience filling the entire space. She looked like she was in her late thirties, her skin showing the first real signs of age and wear. But despite this she still had a wide toothy smile, her big white teeth contrasting heavily against her red lipstick. The others were at a loss of words to describe the strange woman, she looked nothing like Near.

'Hello.' Near said, clearly uncomfortable in the tight embrace. 'Why are you here?'

Mrs River laughed shrilly.

'Don't be silly Nate! I'm here because your birthday is tomorrow and I wanted to surprise you!'

'Colour me surprised.' Near said, channelling a voice that was the closest to sarcasm he'd ever come.

The others watched on in disbelief. They had all at different stages seen Near talk to his mother on the phone and watched how emotionally disengaged Near seemed whenever he spoke to her. But they had never expected the in-person relationship to be exactly to same, they had always assumed he was bad on the phone to some degree.

There was only one word to describe Near: Cold.

Mello was slightly taken aback at Near's demeanour, he knew why Near was behaving how he was, Mrs River had done a lot of wrong by her son in the past. But even now Mello felt himself becoming slightly hurt on her behalf, whilst she may have been unable to feel affection towards Near once, it was clear that she was able to do so now and was trying her hardest to be kind. Near just seemed so unjustified in how he was acting.

Mrs River released he grip on Near, and turned to face the others, who had been watching on silently. _'Who are all these people, they look horrible!'_ Mrs River thought to herself. _'That boy with the goggles looks weird, and that one with the wild black hair looks sleep deprived! Not to mention the girls, one looks like a goth and the other has the most horrible expression! And that boy in leather, he looks like a male prostitute! Still, that one with the brown hair looks fine enough, if a little, well, homosexual… These are no sort of friends for my son!'_

'Are these your friends?' She asked sweetly.

Near nodded cautiously, unsure as to how his mother would act and fearing for the worst.

'I'm Nate's mother.' She said. 'Very… nice to meet you all.'

Light walked forward and shook her hand; the others remained impassive, assessing the interloper silently.

'Nate, honey.' Mrs River said after shaking Lights hand. 'Do you and your friends have any plans tomorrow?'

'We fucking do!' Mello said loudly, while he was sympathetic toward the woman he wasn't about to have their plans go to waste either.

'Please do not swear around me or my son thank-you-very-much!' Mr River said aggressively.

'What he means.' Matt said, stepping in as the diplomat. 'Is that we're doing something for Near tomorrow evening.'

'You are?' Near asked.

'It was meant to be a surprise kiddo.' Matt explained with an apologetic shrug.

'But you don't like surprises, are you sure you're ok with this honey?' Mrs River said, seemingly having forgotten that her own arrival was a complete surprise.

Near nodded.

'I am.'

'But I thought…' She began.

'I am perfectly comfortable with the situation.' Near said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

'Well…ok.' Mrs River said. 'In that case I'm taking you out tomorrow morning to celebrate, I know you have the first two classes off, it's all fine.'

'But…' Near said.

'I'll see you then honey!' Mrs River said happily.

She gave Near another hug and then left Near. Leaving everyone still completely unsure as to what had just happened. Near sighed and entered his dorm, the others following without invitation a moment later.

Mello wanted to know what Near was thinking but by the time he entered Near had already covered up his feelings, hiding them away from the others before they had a chance to ever comprehend them.

…

Near starred across the table at his mother. She had picked him up at exactly 9:00am that morning and had let him pick where they would go out to eat. He had obviously picked the only dining establishment in town that he had knowledge about, Beyond Birthday's.

They had made polite conversation, but Near had deflected her every attempt to engage in a proper talk. When Linda had come around to take their orders, she had noticed Nears frostiness. Normally he was quiet and cute, coming off as a very shy, intelligent, and thoughtful boy. But now, in the presence of the woman she assumed was his mother (she had the same nose as him) he had exchanged all of the parts of his personality that Linda liked for an aloof attitude, seemingly taking every opportunity to keep his mother at bay.

'I like the clothes honey.' Mrs River said. 'When did you buy them?'

'I didn't buy them.' Near said.

'Well who did?'

'Neo.'

'Which one was she?'

'The one with the red jacket.'

' _Ah.'_ Mrs River thought. _'The girl with the expression that could kill.'_ Aside from the brunette who had shaken her hand last night, none of her sons friends seemed at all like nice people. _'And they have the strangest names.'_ Mrs River thought. _'Honestly, what kind of name is Neo or Mello or L!'_ Mrs River didn't know much about them but she was certain she didn't like them.

'That was awfully kind of her.' Mrs River said, masking her real thoughts.

'Indeed.' Near agreed.

'So.' Ms River said, determined to get her son to open up. 'Did she pick them out?'

'No.'

'Well who did honey?'

'Mello.'

'The one who was wearing leather last night?' Ms River asked, trying her best to mask her apparent dislike for the boy.

Despite her attempts to hide her dislike Near noticed, having taught himself from a very young age how to read and interpret his mothers words and actions. _'She was on time today, clearly a conscious effort to try and please me. She obviously doesn't approve of my friends, especially Mello.'_ This grated with Near, _'she doesn't even know him and she's already judging him, how pathetically typical.'_

'Yes.' Near said. 'Mello was the one wearing leather.'

'I'm not sure I like him.'

'He happens to be one of my closest… friends.' Near said, choosing his words carefully.

He knew that the use of the word 'friend' would tide his mother over for now. Whatever reservations she might have had about Mello, whether they were justified or not, had been put to the side by the reminder that he was Nears friend. She had spent the last two years trying to convince Near to make friends, imploring him to branch out and grow, so the fact that he had done so would surely please her to some degree.

Near knew that she felt guilty, that she believed she had somehow influenced him by her constant neglect and had made him antisocial. It was nothing of the sort, Near just hadn't liked any of the people he used to attend school with. But she still felt guilty about it, and so by using that simple word, Near had been able to persuade her through shameless manipulation.

'I see.' She said.

She then reached into her purse and pulled out a small box. It had been caring wrapped in white wrapping paper with a sliver bow around it; every aspect of the gifts design was selected with meticulous detail. Near took the box from her and placed it on the corner of the table, he didn't feel like accepting anything from his mother at the moment.

'Happy Birthday Nate.' Mrs River said with a small smile. 'I can't believe my boy is thirteen.'

'Thank you.' Near said politely.

'Are you going to open your present honey?' Mrs River asked, barely able to contain her excitement.

'I will when I return to my dorm.' Near said.

'I really think you're going to like it.'

'I'm sure I will.' He said, doubting every word.

The polite small talk resumed. Mrs River would ask a question and Near would answer it with the most minimal amount of detail he could, perpetuating a single topic for as long as he could by forcing his mother to make follow up questions. By the time he'd provided answers to all of his mothers questions on a given topic several minute would have passed, and by continuing to elude answering the questions properly, Near could suck up more time.

Linda came around with their morning tea, Near having a large muffin and Ms River a jam tart. Linda then went and gave Near a free refill as a 'happy birthday from her.' Near liked Linda, despite having rarely exchanged words with her he'd grown to appreciate her personality. The way she went about her work in a quiet and efficient manner was a trait that Near greatly admired.

'So.' Mrs River said, switching to a new line of questioning. 'What do you think your friends have planned?'

Near heard it again, the way she said 'friends' ever so slightly condescending and judgemental, as if she didn't approve of them.

'I am unsure.' Near said honestly.

'Maybe it'll just be a small evening in…' Mrs River speculated.

'Unlikely.'

'Why's that honey?' Mrs River asked.

'I have learnt that my friends never do anything small in scale.'

'So you could expect quite a rowdy evening then?' She asked, slightly concerned.

'It is well within the realm of possibility.'

'I'm not sure I like the sound of that…'

'I was unaware you would be in attendance.' Near said bitingly.

'All I'm saying is that it sounds like it could get out of hand.' Mrs River said, reeling at her sons sudden aggression.

'I assure you it will not.' Near said.

'And they are a bit older than you, they might have alcohol or try to get you to do things you don't want to do…'

'I don't believe they will.'

'But what if they do…'

'I'm more than capable of exercising prudent judgement.' Near interjected.

'That Mello boy does seem like the kind who would try to bully you into something…' Mrs River said in a know voice.

'Enough.' Near snapped, the last of his calm façade dropping.

He slammed his mug down on the table, making the crockery and cutlery rattle loudly, causing Ms River to jump. She regained her poise quickly and glared at her son. Near said nothing and instead stood, putting his jumper back on, taking his present, and turned to leave.

'Where do you think you're going!' Ms River said.

'Back to school.' Near said spitefully.

'Don't use that tone with me young man.'

'Don't speak about my friends that way, especially Mello.' Near said back, almost shouting.

The other customers looked over at him, a few recognized him as the quiet boy from the weekend group. Everyone pretended to go back to what they were doing, but watched out of the corner of their eyes.

'Please sit down.'

'I will not.' Near said, turning to leave.

'Nate Samuel River…' Ms River began, raising her voice, trying to regain control, but Near seemed content to ignore her.

In a desperate attempt to stop Near so she would have a chance to apologize she reached out, grasping at Near's hand, catching it and attempting to hold it. Near pulled his hand away as if it had been electrocuted, looking at his mother with a horrified expression that cut straight to her core. Near ignored it and instead picked up his gift and walked out of BB's.

'Have a nice day.' He said.

Ms River sat back down, feeling defeated. _'After everything I did he still pushed me away. I tried so hard, I just want him to know that I'm sorry and that I love him.'_ She couldn't help but feel that the rift between them had just widened, and that bringing him closer again would be ever harder.

She decided that her son had picked up several bad habits from his new friends, and in that moment vowed to keep closer tabs on his actions. _'Still.'_ She thought. _'At least he took the present, that has to be some kind of progress right?'_

…

Near walked back to the campus, maintaining a calm exterior the whole way. Underneath this veneer however, was a raging sea of anger and frustration. _'She just doesn't care.'_ Near thought bitterly. _'Every time I do anything she throws it back in my face like it's not good enough. She may be capable of feeling affection for me now, but it doesn't change how she treats me.'_

Near had wanted to say many things to her, but instead had walked away, fleeing from her not for the first time in his life. He knew that he couldn't keep running from every problem he had, but right now it was the only defence he knew.

On the way back to Wammy's he crossed over an old bridge, the water below was icy and clear, a fast moving current pulling driftwood downstream. Near stopped and looked over the old sandstone railing, staring down at his distorted reflection in the water. It shook and shimmered with uncertainty, the constant current making it impossible for the water to settle and provide a clear view.

'I'm glad I look like him and not her.' Near said quietly.

He pulled the present out from his jumper pocket and dropped it into the water, watching the white wrapped parcel descend beneath the glassy surface, never to be seen again, pulled under by the current and washed away.

Near continued onwards, returning to school.

…

'Matt where are you taking me?' Near asked from within the sack, sounding slightly concerned.

Neo and Matt had come around to Near's room a little after seven, tackling him to the ground, binding him with a pair of handcuffs, and stuffing him in the sack in a way not all that dissimilar to the first time they'd kidnapped him and forced him to become a part with their group. Matt thought back to that moment, even now he was unsure as to why he had gravitated toward Near, he defiantly hadn't known just how much he was going to have changed their lives. _'In just over a month as well.'_ Matt thought. _'It can't have just been a month.'_

'I can't tell you little guy.' Matt said teasingly.

'Matt, please…' Near begged.

'Silence Near.' Neo said, cutting him off with her vicious tone. 'And if you talk again I'll cut off all your hair.'

Near didn't say anything.

'Good.' Neo said, slightly less aggressively. 'Besides we're almost there.'

'Where?' Near asked.

'Near…' Neo said warningly.

'I'd be careful Kiddo.' Matt said.

Near decided to heed their warnings and fell silent again, bumping up and down in the sack _. 'Why can't my friends arrange a more convenient mode of transportation?'_ Near wondered. _'A simple blindfold would suffice.'_ His thoughts jumped suddenly, and without his knowing he had instead fallen back onto the topic of his mother. He was still angry with her and had spent class all day stewing over her words. _'Why does she have to dislike Mello?'_ Near thought bitterly. _'All she ever does it make my life hard, why can't she just leave me alone like she used to. I got used to that, I can live with the distance again.'_

Before Near could follow this chain of thought any further he was pulled from his fabric cacoon by the forces of gravity and deposited onto the dirt.

'Happy Birthday Near!' A Chorus of voices chimed.

Near looked up in a daze, his ears ringing from when he'd hit the ground. All his friends were arrayed in front of him. They were lit by the glow of a bonfire, the glow of the fire danced over their faces, washing them in it's warm ambience. Little sparks flew out from the flame, ascending into the air like small orange stars before blinking out of existence. Near searched the surrounding area, trying to gain his bearings and figure out where they were. Ranks of trees extended into the night, their silhouettes looming up out of the night. _'So we're in the forest on the Wammy grounds.'_

'Get up you dip-shit!' Mello said, helping Near up and brushing the dirt of his pale form.

He gave Near a small grin as he completed this action, sweeping the dirt of Nears clothes like a doting significant other. He looked Near over, to make sure he was largely clean.

'Hold on.' He whispered, and then leaning in, wiping some dirt of Near's face.

Near giggled involuntarily at this action, Mellos affectionate cleaning making his senses tingle with delight. The closest the two had been was still that night in the wardrobe, Near could still distinctly remember how Mello had wrapped around his body in a tight hug, their two bodies seemingly fitting together perfectly. Since then, even the smallest amount of attention from Mello had him buzzing. He knew that they were taking it slowly, and that this was nothing compared to real intimacy, but Near still treasured every moment off it.

'You're all good.' Mello said with a small grin. 'Now come on you shit, there are presents to fucking unwrap.'

L and Light stood aside revealing a pile of wrapped gifts. Near was abash. Truthfully he had only ever gotten presents from his mother, so this small display was overwhelming for him. He said nothing but Mello saw the look in his eyes.

'You really shouldn't have.' Near said quietly

'Don't be silly!' Misa said.

'Yeah Near, don't be an idiot, Jesus, I thought you were better than that.' Neo said with aggressive sarcasm.

'Just open them you moron.' Mello said.

Near obliged them, sitting on one of the logs they had arranged as seating and opening each gift in turn. They were all characteristic of the giver Near noted, L providing him with a supply of sweets whilst Kiyomi gifted Near with a large amount of school supplies (all of Nears pens and paper had been vanishing, he was almost certain Neo was the culprit but he was not about to accuse her).

Near picked up the next gift, it was wrapped in a slapdash manner, with two different patterns of wrapping paper and liberal amounts of sticky tape being used. 'Ah this must be Matt's.' Near thought beginning to unwrap it. The paper came away easily, the method of Matt's wrapping leaving it easy to deconstruct. Inside was a plain box. Near curiously lifted the lid to see what Matt had gotten him.

Near was assaulted by an explosion of glitter, it leapt out of the box and puffed around his face in a small cloud.

The others all laughed as his eyes went wide with surprise, jumping slightly on the spot.

'Sorry little guy.' Matt said. 'I couldn't resist.'

After the shock had worn off Near joined in the laughing.

Near picked up the next gift. It no wrapping paper was used, instead the gift had been wrapped in layer after layer of duct tape. _'Neo.'_ Near thought wryly. He gave her a questioning look and she just shrugged. After a moment she rolled her eyes and handed him scissors, he thanked her and cut open the duct tape shell, revealing her gift.

Near looked at the gift, it was a glass bottle of clear liquid, it's bright red label read 'Smirnoff'.

The others all stared at Neo gift as well, Kiyomi, L, and Light in disbelief, Matt and Mello with happy grins.

'Neo…' Near said. 'I'm thirteen.'

'Yeah.' She said. 'I had my first drink when I was thirteen, toughen up! Besides it's only vodka.'

'But…'

'We are getting you hammered tonight, no objections allowed.'

Near just sighed and put it aside, saving the argument for a later on.

Near picked up the final gift, rolling his eyes when he saw what it was wrapped in _. 'Mello I honestly can't believe you.'_

It was wrapped in leather.

'Mello…' Near said.

'Just fucking unwrap it.' Mello said.

Near obeyed, pealing the leather off, as he couldn't tear it. He slowly revealed the gift, it was an old dusty box, displaying colourful images of bright exploding lights. 'Mr Briggs Big Filibuster Fireworks!' was written across the front big block lettering.

'Fireworks?' Near asked.

Mello just nodded, but that nod held a thousand words.

Near nodded back, he understood. It was their first and only prank together, it was the time they had cooperated properly, not manipulating each other, it was the first time Near had been open with Mello when he had cowered from the fireworks, and the first time Mello had shown affection for him when he carried Near away whilst he still trembled in fear.

The present was simple but it represented so much.

Near wasn't prone to emotional expression or outbursts but in that moment he felt overwhelmed. He moved over to Mello and seized him in a hug. Near wasn't the hugging type and neither was Mello normally, but in that moment they felt perfectly at ease. With both the action and with each other.

'Thank you.' Near whispered.

'You fucking idiot Near.' Mello whispered back.

They untangled themselves and looked back that others, who had all awkwardly averted their gaze, except for Matt who was watching eagerly.

'Shall we… ah… start?' Near asked timidly.

'Yes lets.' Misa said quickly.

She and Light pulled out a large esky (the two seemed to have put aside their animosity for the evening, although they still weren't talking). They dug around inside pulling out several cans of what appeared to be Beer. When Near asked about it they explained that 'it was a party', which they seemed to believe was ample justification.

Near let it pass, giving up on any attempt to argue with them as Neo had already opened the can, the sound of the crack and hiss paling in comparison to the crackling fire. Everyone besides Near and Kiyomi got themselves a can and kicked back, beginning to chat and joke. Near hoped that the others wouldn't notice that he wasn't drinking but after a few minutes Neo pointed it out and the others began to badger him.

'Come on kiddo.' Matt said. 'Just one drink.'

'Don't be a pansy.' Neo said.

'Just one.' Mello said.

'But Kiyomi's not having any.' Near pointed out, hoping this would justify himself.

'She has to run tomorrow evening.' Matt said.

'Don't make me fucking force you.' Mello said threateningly. 'Come on you piece of shit.'

The other four remained silent, letting the scene play out in front of them without interference.

'Fine.' Near said. 'Just one drink.'

Neo smiled gleefully and opened the bottle of Smirnoff, pulling the red coloured wrapping off the top and unscrewing the lid with the proficiency of someone who had done it a thousand times before. She handed the open bottle back to Near. He took it; his hand was steady despite how nervous he was.

' _I said I wouldn't drink tonight. If only my words to my mother had any value.'_ He thought bitterly. Deep down he felt guilty about how he was going back on his words, he valued honesty and authenticity in all aspects of his life and his relationship mother should really be no exception. But for now the wall that she had built up when Near was young remained and it seemed it wouldn't come down any time soon.

Near moved the bottle closer to his lips, ready to tip it up and drink. The fumes wafted up through his nose and he immediately felt dizzy, he knew the scent of alcohol well enough, but this was different. He held steady and tipped the bottle, downing a small amount of the clear liquid very quickly. For a moment nothing happened, it seemed all the stories were a lie, and aside from the strange taste there was going to be no other side effects.

Then it hit.

His throat felt like it was constricting and on fire simultaneously. He coughed loudly, feeling as though he was about to wretch. The others all laughed at him whilst he gagged.

'That was terrible.' He said after he had regained his breath.

'Want more?' Mello asked.

Near thought about this, the whole experience had been awful and he could think of nothing commendable about the drink nor having some at his age. Despite this it was strangely alluring, he couldn't pick why but he wanted to have more.

'Yes.' He admitted and then added. 'Later.'

The conversation resumed, everyone, even the normally silent Near and L, joining in the discussion and laughing. It was the most comfortable Near had ever felt with them, as if their having prepared this small party for him somehow signified that he really was a part of the group.

After a while Misa got out the ingredients to make s'mores and they each selected an ideal stick from the ground. They continued talking as they toasted and ate the food, the evening slowly moving onwards, their collective happiness and enjoyment seeming to make the entire moment exist in a bubble outside of reality.

To Near it felt like it would never end, he secretly hoped it wouldn't, everything in that moment felt so perfect.

'Lets light the fireworks.' Mello said.

'Ok.' Near said.

Mello grabbed the box and began setting up the fireworks, pushing the little rockets firmly into the ground so they would shoot directly up. He lit the fuses with a burning branch from the fire, small flames shooting up the ropes at varying speeds, crawling toward the gunpowder housed in the arrow shaped fireworks. Mello ran back over to Near, sitting close to the albino, their shoulder rubbing together.

The fireworks went off, screaming loudly into the air before exploding into flowers of bright green and red. Near felt a slight surge of fear and instinctively reached for Mello's hand, gripping it tightly. He knew there was nothing to be afraid of, it was ridiculous really. But Mello helped alleviate the fear, providing a barrier between it and Near. In that moment Near was glad he was afraid, it gave him a reason to be close to Mello.

Mello squeezed Nears hand, shifting his fingers so that they interlocked with Near's.

'Hey, you see those Fireworks that haven't gone off yet.' Mello whispered in Near's ear, the words slipping from his mouth before he had realised he was speaking.

'Yes.' Near said.

'That's us now.' Mello said tenderly, letting the words flow, he felt it was something that he had to say at this exact moment. Another firework went off, bursting out in a brilliant green, filling the sky with magnitude and magnificence. 'And that is the shape of things to come.'

Near watched, his eyes wide, a new set of emotions flooding through them. Mello smiled, his work here was done. Nears chest filled with so many feeling that it made his heart race. He tried to find the words to express them all.

'It's amazing.' Near said quietly.

'It is'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: So what did you guys think? Things are a happening, Mello and Near are getting ever closer and Near's relationship with his mum isn't so great! I feel like the was a lot better after the shoddiness that was the last chapter. Anyway, please leave a review and stay tuned for the next chapter!_


	21. Chapter 18: The Halloween Ball - Part 1

_A/N: Sorry once again for this taking a while, but I've been doing rehersals with my actiong group which has left me pretty damn tired, anyhow enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: Own Deathnote, I do not._

* * *

Near felt himself drift out of sleep and get pulled into an uncomfortable consciousness. His head was buzzing, a painful headache causing every thought to make his skull sting. He pried open his eyes, sunlight flooded in through a window, it was far too bright and made his head feel like it was on fire. He groaned and let his eyes adjust until the rest of the room became clear.

He was on Mello and Matt's couch, with a patchy blanket thrown over him. The floor was covered in dirty clothes and empty chocolate wrappers that made the whole room seem like a disaster zone. Near tried to think back to how he'd gotten there but realised that the later half of last night was fuzzy and unclear, a storm of static where memories should have been.

'Hey Kiddo.' Matt said from somewhere out of Near's field of vision, his voice was far too loud.

Near groaned and rolled back over, he couldn't figure out why his head hurt so much. He felt Matt sit on the arm of the couch and ruffle his hair. This action made Near feel dizzy and unwell, he groaned again.

'Here.' Matt said, pushing something warm into Near's hand.

Near looked at it, it was a cup of hot coffee, the air above it drawn with lines of steam. Near couldn't fathom why Matt had just handed it too him, but to prevent spillage he sat up, a whole new was of nausea hitting him as he did so.

'I don't drink coffee.' Near mumbled.

'You do now little guy, trust me.'

'But why?' Near asked.

'Cause you have one hell of a hangover and this will help.' Matt said, pulling out his PSP.

'I'm hung over?' Asked Near.

'Ya-huh.' Matt said. 'You drank a whole lot of vodka last night.'

'I did?'

'Yep.' Matt confirmed.

'I don't remember doing that.' Near said slowly.

'You wouldn't, you're hung over.' Matt said in a matter of fact tone. 'Drink the coffee, it'll help.'

Near felt like he would normally have something to say now, but at the moment his brain felt bogged down. As a result he just followed Matt's instructions, sipping from the hot beverage. It had a bitter bite that Near wasn't sure he was entirely fond of, but he felt a sliver of sunlight penetrate through the cloudy hangover as he drank. He took another, longer drink, the pain of the headache subsiding somewhat.

'Where's Mello?' Near asked.

'He's over at Light and L's room.' Matt said, not looking up.

'Why?'

'Cause they're getting ready for the Halloween Ball.'

Slowly Near connected the dots, _'the Halloween ball… that's… today.'_ He groaned again, he had to get his costume ready, and he felt in no way mentally prepared for that. He drank from the coffee again.

'Why are they getting ready now?' Near asked. 'It's not starting until 6pm.'

'It's 12:30 at the moment Near.' Matt said.

Near gave a bewildered look, Matt laughed, _'God he's out of it, but he went through a lot of booze last night, so I guess it's not surprising.'_

'It's 12:30?' Near repeated.

'Yep.' Matt confirmed. 'Go have a shower, after that we're going over to Neo and Misa's room.'

'Why?' Near asked, he felt like he was saying that a lot this morning, _'no wait, it's the afternoon…'_

'Because Neo and Misa are going to help you get ready.' Matt said. 'There's a towel in the bathroom for you.'

Near nodded and stood slowly, still feeling slightly nauseous, and walked over to Matt and Mello's bathroom. He closed the door behind him, wincing at how loud the creaky hinges were. Matt shook his head and smiled, _'poor kid, the first hangover is the worst.'_

…

' _I think you've had enough to drink kiddo.' Matt said._

 _He reached over to where Near sat, swaying slightly and looking very dazed. The albino clutched his bottle of vodka, drinking from it occasionally, shuddering violently as the drink went down his throat. He'd gone through almost two thirds of the bottle, and Matt thought that it was probably a bit too much for someone as small as Near. And by a bit too much, he meant way too much._

' _No.' Near said, slurring his words slightly. 'I'm fine.'_

' _Near…' Matt said sternly, trying to pull the bottle from his grasp._

' _Get your own.' Near said._

 _Matt tugged a little harder at the bottle but Near had a very firm grasp on it. Near pulled back, seeming determined not to relinquish, the bottle came free of Matt's grasp and Near grinned at his success. But this was only a momentary triumph, his expression changing to panic as he toppled backwards off the log he perched on. The others all laughed at his antics, Matt shook his head, Near was the goofiest drunk he had ever seen. Still enough was enough._

' _Near.' Matt said. 'I think you've had enough.'_

' _I will be the… determinator on that matter Matt,' Near said, trying to stand up._

' _Near. Determinator isn't even a word.' Neo said._

' _Stop trying to be my mother.'_

 _Matt and all the others were taken aback at the amount of venom that ran from the word 'mother', it wasn't like Near at all. Near ignored their shock and announced:_

' _I'm going for a walk.'_

' _Near…' Misa said, trying to intervene._

 _Near ignored her and wobbled off into the darkness, his glowing white hair growing steadily more distant. The other all exchanged a slightly concerned look, Light and L stood and went after him to retrieve him._

…

L, Light, and Mello were getting changed into their respective Halloween costumes. Whilst he pulled off his shirt L gave a glance to the wall clock, its black and white colouring making it fit into their modern looking room perfectly. The hands on the clock indicated that the time was 3:57pm, they had to be ready to leave by 5:30 so they could all drive to the venue in town.

'Been working out L?' Mello teased, taking off his own shirt.

L resisted going red, it would have shown on his alabaster skin. He had never been one to worry about how he outwardly appeared, the bags under his eyes and his thin form never giving him a moment of pause previously. And yet now he felt ever embarrassed by Mello's taunts, not because he was any more body conscious than he once was, but because when Mello spoke Light turned and gave L a glance. L had become immediately aware of every flaw about his body, the paleness of his skin, the bags under his eyes, the way he was thin but not in a toned way, his body seeming shapeless and without muscle.

L mumbled something incoherent in response to Mello, turning away slightly ashamed. Mello laughed, it wasn't meant to seem cruel and to an outsider it wouldn't have seemed so, but to L it stung. It was strange, L had always believed romance and attraction to be irrational, nothing more than chemical reactions within the mind, which when combined with certain factors of upbringing and early childhood impressions, made a human being find another human being sexually pleasing.

Because of this L had always ignored people in a romantic sense, instead building functional relationships based on rationality, respect, and friendship. He had always been satisfied with this style of life, the wall keeping other people out and keeping him safe. That was until now.

' _Perhaps it's fitting that Light be the one to break down the defence.'_ L thought. _'After all he is my closest friend.'_ That fact was really undisputable, it had been L and not anyone else that Light had invited to stay with him last summer, both of them returning to his family home in Tokyo. Instead of doing normal 'teen activities' they had accompanied Light's father to the police station, observing and learning the craft. L had no specific interest in police work, but he had even considered switching to the Criminology class before.

Until now switching had just been an occasional thought, nothing more than a slight interest. _'But I'd have one more class with Light.'_ L thought. He couldn't help but find himself pathetic, _'I'm considering a serious shift in my academic path just for an attraction to someone, it's foolish.'_ But foolish or not the thought nagged at L's mind, growing like a cancer with each day. Only he didn't seem to want to cut this cancer out. _'I should ask Near what to do.'_ L thought, he had always considered he and Near to be very similar in personality and manner, and therefore he might have some advice.

'You ok L?' Light asked.

L blinked back into focus, realising only now he'd let his thoughts drift; that was another unexpected result of his attraction. He had always had a strong focus, but thoughts of Light were causing him to loose himself in daydreams more often these days. One minute he would be focused in class and the next he would be travelling across the world with Light, solving crimes, the perfect partnership, both romantically and intellectually. L felt that those daydreams in particular were completely childish, but he couldn't help but guiltily enjoy them.

Light stood there, stripped down to his underwear, one foot in the trouser legs of his costume, an eyebrow raised questioningly at L. Again L had to resist from going red.

'Y-yes.' He stuttered. 'I'm fine.'

'Ok.' Light said, and resumed dressing himself.

L stoped himself from staring and resumed dressing himself as well, turning away very embarrassed and grateful that Light was completely oblivious.

Mello however, was not so oblivious. As the blonde got dressed he assessed the entire situation, L's seeming embarrassment, the way he reacted to taunts, and the way he stared at Light. _'He couldn't possibly like Light?'_ No, that idea seemed entirely impossible, there was no way that rational and logical L could be attracted to someone, and Light of all people. And yet, no matter how Mello looked at it, that was the only conclusion he could draw.

' _Well this complicates things.'_ Mello thought. _'L, Misa, and Kiyomi all after Light, this can't end well. We don't even know if Light is interested in any of them, he could hurt all three of them, Jesus fucking Christ.'_

Mello watched L, the way the raven haired boy threw furtive glances at Light when he thought the brunette wasn't watching. _'It's so… genuine.'_ In many ways L was reminding Mello of Near, and the way the albino acted around him, a paragon of innocence, but with a strong curiosity and desire.

'L.' Light said. 'Can you help me with this?'

Light was struggling to tie the knot on his high collared cape, the strings slipping between his fingers. Mello watched L eyes widen slightly as he took in a nervous breath, _'honestly, only Light could miss these signs, I mean fuck it obvious.'_

L walked over to Light and began to tie the knock, pulling to cape tight around his neck. He wasn't sure how to handle even this level of intimacy, _'and I'm only tying up a cape, its purely platonic.'_ L felt thoroughly out of his depth, and he knew it was this that was going to stop him from taking the next step. He wanted to tell Light, but the thought terrified him. Even now he felt uncomfortable, _'I can't do this, not without help.'_ L thought about how Kiyomi and Misa both wanted Light as well. _'Maybe I shouldn't take any further steps, just wait for it to pass.'_

But L wasn't sure if he could do that.

…

 _L and Light both followed the sounds of Near clumsily crashing his way through the dark wood. They could see the albino just up ahead, his hair and skin bright in the pale half-light of the crescent moon. Branches crunched beneath Near's feet as he stumbled along, seemingly determined to be somewhere._

 _They were gaining on him fairly quickly, seeing as Near was struggling to walk in a straight line, the heavy bottle in his right hand not helping him balance at all. Near swayed to the right again the extra weight pulling him down, but he compensated in time, shifting his balance to the left instead. This proved too much the unbalanced Near and he toppled to the left, hitting the ground with a dull thud._

 _L and Light caught up with him, and sat him up. Despite his hard fall and wild march through the dark woods he seemed unscathed._

' _You ok?' Light asked._

 _Near swung his head to look at Light._

' _Are you ok Light?' Near slurred._

' _I'm fine Near, can you answer the question?' Light said kindly._

' _Because.' Near said, struggling to form the words. 'You have all these people who… are inter… who want… who like you.'_

 _Light picked Near up, and with a little bit of help from L, swung him over his back. They then began walking toward the now distant fire._

' _Why would I not be ok with that?' Light asked._

' _Well.' Near said. 'You always try to make them all, you know…'_

' _Go on.'_

' _Happy.' Near said waving his arms around and almost hitting Light in the back of the head. 'But what about you… what do you want?'_

 _Light thought about this, and struggled to find an answer._

' _I don't know.' Light said._

 _L thought about the words as well. He wanted to not hurt anyone, he didn't want things to change, but he wanted Light, and that meant something had to change. What did he want more, stability or a chance with Light? He didn't know either._

…

'They're fucking late.' Mello said bitterly.

'What did you expect/' Light said, growing impatient with Mello's complaining. 'Misa has no concept of time, Matt probably got distracted with a video game, and Neo is probably holding them up just to spite us.'

'Nah, Misa and Neo need to be on time.' Mello snapped.

'Why?' Light asked.

'Because they're both in fucking Miss Halloween, they need to be there early.'

'Neo's entering Miss Halloween?' Light asked in astonishment.

'You didn't know, I thought everyone did.' Mello said, startled at Lights confusion.

'Well I didn't.'

'No shit.'

L searched looked around, hoping to see four figures approaching in the distance. If this kept up Mello's mood would grow foul very quickly and nobody would be having a good time at that point. The other two fell silent, joining L in his search.

Mello pulled a bar of chocolate out the only pocket in his outfit; as per usual he had gone as a vampire. His skin was made up to look more pasty and white (almost as white as Near's), he wore a black leather outfit with a long flowing cape. The white and black were offset by fake blood trails that ran from the corners of his mouth to his chin and matching blood red contacts.

Both L and Light had gone as manga characters. Light had gone as Lelouch Lamperouch, wear a militaristic tunic and a cape that was even longer and bolder than Mello's own. Light too wore contacts, except these were a deep purple, giving him an aura of control. L on the other hand, had gone as Sebastian Michaelis. His wild hair had been tamed somewhat and fashioned so that he had two long bangs running down either side of his face. He had no cape, but did wear a black tailcoat, giving him an air of formality that really didn't suit him at all.

'There they are.' L said pointing.

Mello followed his finger, three people approached in a tight formation, Neo, Matt, and Misa. _'Where's Near?'_ Mello wondered, but then deduced that Near was probably behind them. _'They probably think that whatever costume they mustered up at the last minute is going to impress me.'_ Mello thought, mildly amused at the notion.

While Mello was sceptical about the quality of Near's costume he was impressed at the other three. Matt, much to no ones surprise, had gone as a video game character. He wore a green bright green tunic and hat, with a large sword and shield in his hands and had prosthetic pointed ears on. While L and Light, who didn't play video games, didn't recognize the character Mello certainly did. He felt like rolling his eyes and making a biting comment, Matt was dressed as Link from Legend of Zelda.

Neo's costume was more of a surprise, mainly because it wasn't completely horrific She wore a sky blue and white dress, with ruby slippers and lipstick. He hair was done in two pigtails which sat on her shoulder and in her hand she held a small basket. _'She's Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, that can't be Neo.'_

Misa's costume however was the most impressive. She was dressed in a tight leather singlet and pants that were patterned red and black. Her hair was also done into pigtails, except these were higher, coming nowhere near her shoulders, and the ends were tinted red as well. She had very heavy makeup, which when combined with the rest of the outfit made her look like she was part of a punk-rock clown troupe. Harley Quinn.

'Nice costumes.' Matt said, beating Mello to it.

'Hey L, do you like?' Misa asked.

L's eyes went wide, he was obviously unprepared for the question. Light's eyes were set on fire with jealousy, clearly becoming enticed by Misa's figure hugging outfit.

'Where's Near.' Mello asked, trying to prevent a scene.

'I'm glad you asked.' Matt said.

'Fuck of Ma… woah, Near.'

As Mello had spoken Misa, Neo, and Matt had all stepped to the side, revealing Near and making Mello's jaw drop. The blonde had immediately become hot and uncomfortable in the best way possible. Near's costume could really only be described in one way _'sexy as fuck.'_

The albino was a completely different person. Instead of his normal baggy jeans and loose shirts he wore a short black skirt with fishnet stocking and knee high Doc's. Near's pale stomach was revealed by a black midriff, his slight frame accentuated (Mello noticed that Near's skin was the only same pale sheen across his whole body, confirming his belief that his paleness was because of some kind of condition and not natural). The best part in Mello's opinion however, was his face, his lips had been coated in a dark red shade of lipstick and his grey eyes were accentuated by heavy eye shadow.

The whole costume was completely punk chic and reeked of influence from Misa, but Mello really didn't mind. The revealing clothes forced Near to hold himself with confidence, because there was simply no other way to wear them. And the confidence looked good on him, he held his head higher, and his frame was filled with a quiet kind of power.

'You like it?' Near asked.

'You fucking bet.' Mello said, still awestruck.

Near gave a smile

'Just one question.' Mello asked. 'What are you?'

'Oh.' Near said, he turned his head to reveal a pair of painted fang-marks and blood trails on his neck. 'It was Matt's idea, you're a vampire and I'm, well… your victim.'

Mello rolled his eyes.

'You couldn't resist the kinkiest costume idea could you?' Mello asked, in no way surprised by Matt.

'You like it don't you?' Matt asked with a knowing grin.

Mello rolled his eyes again, Matt took this for a yes.

'Then there's nothing wrong with kinky or sexy.' Matt said.

'How did you know…'

'That you thought it was sexy?' Matt said finishing the sentence. 'I just do.'

Mello looked down, just to be sure, if he got too aroused in this outfit everyone would know.

'You think I'm…' Near said, leaving the sentence open for Mello to finish.

'Sexy? Fuck yeah.' Mello said.

Near blushed and looked away, he knew everyone thought he was 'cute' and 'adorable' but that wasn't really what you aim for when you're trying to impress someone. The others had been watching on silently, enjoying Mello's reaction, but finally Light decided to speak:

'Before we go, Neo?'

'What?' She growled.

'Dorothy?' Light asked.

'Oh.' Neo said, she turned to reveal a large fake axe implanted into her back, and then opened the basket to show a very dead looking furry object. All of a sudden everything made more sense.

'You're a dead Dorothy.' Light said, understanding.

'Yes, she's dead, it's a Christmas miracle.' Neo said in complete seriousness.

'Is that a fake dog in the basket?' Light asked.

'No, it's just some road kill I found.'

Everyone expressed their disgust at Neo's macabre behaviours, but despite their encouragement, she refused to get rid of the animal.

Finally they all clambered into Light's car, Near on Mello's lap, Neo on Matt's, and began the drive to the venue in town.

…

 _Light returned with a dazed looking Near over his shoulders and L tailing behind. They deposited Near on the ground, propping him up against a tree rather than putting him on a log as they didn't trust him not to fall off._

' _Is he ok?' Kiyomi asked._

' _I think so.' Light said._

' _Mind if I check?' Kiyomi asked._

' _Probably best.' Light said._

 _Indeed it was, off all their friends Kiyomi was the only one with actual medical training, having spent several weeks doing volunteer work at her local hospital in Japan. There she had been taught the basics of first aid and medical diagnosis, and whilst she trusted Light's judgement, she thought it was probably best they she double check._

 _She stood and went over to Near. On the way she was struck with an idea that she elected to enact without a second thought. She gave Light her most attractive smile and said:_

' _Nice job.'_

 _As they passed she gave him a small slap on the butt, even as she did this she knew it had been a mistake. Light L gave her a slightly mortified look, while Misa and (much to her surprise) L gave her a pointed glare. The others just looked disappointed, even the drunk Near giving a groan of dismay. Kiyomi felt her face go red and quickly turned away to check up on Near, looking for cuts, sprains, and fractures._

' _That was unwise.' Near mumbled, his words a barely audible whisper._

 _Kiyomi felt herself go even redder, she'd just wanted to allure Light a little and had instead humiliated herself._

' _I know.' She whispered back, making sure the others couldn't hear her._

' _Maybe you should try being less…' Near said, searching for a word. '… disingenuous.'_

 _Kiyomi was slightly surprised that he had managed to even think of, let alone pronounce, such a word. But she decided that even a drunken genius was still a genius._

' _What do you mean?' She asked, humouring him but also curious as to where this was going._

' _Be nice.' Near said, nodding vigorously._

' _Be nice?' Kiyomi repeated with a laugh._

' _Yeah.' Near slurred. 'He's a person, not an… an… I lost it… hold on I'll spell it… O… B…J…E…C…T.'_

' _Object?' Kiyomi said, filling in the word for the struggling Near, amazed that he could still correctly spell words in his condition._

' _That's it.' Near said, his eyes drifting shut._

…

'Where are they?' Kiyomi muttered to herself.

She marched around the hall they had hired, scanning the room for any sign of her friends. _'I told Misa and Neo they had to be here half an hour early, its really not that difficult.'_ All the other Miss Halloween contestants had arrived and were lined up next to the stage, dressed in their respective costumes, waiting in anticipation.

Other students had begun to arrive also, some were sitting at one of the large circular tables that had been set up in front of the stage. Others were congregating around the punch bowl, making small talk while they waited for the evening to begin. And there were also two students currently on the dance floor, recklessly moving to the spooky, orchestral background music.

' _Why couldn't they just be on time like they were told?'_ Kiyomi wondered, becoming slightly irate. _'Even Adeline had turned up on time, so why can't they?'_ Kiyomi cast another glance over to the other Miss Halloween contestants. There was half a dozen of them, one senior girl who was short and curvy, two juniors one tall and gaunt and the other with a more filled out figure, a freshmen with fiery red hair. And then of course there were the two that Kiyomi knew more personally.

Sophie and Adeline.

Sophie, as usual, was gorgeous. She'd taken advantage of her dark skin and slender beauty and gone as an Egyptian Queen. Now a golden midriff revealed her flat stomach, and her high cheekbones and dark eyes accentuated by the lavishly applied make up. All this culminated to only increase her already abundant poise and command. Kiyomi still couldn't believe that the charming and kind girl had managed to break Mello's heart last year it just didn't seem possible.

All of Sophie's beauty and grace was contrasted against the train wreck that stood next to her, huffing at some perceived injustice and looking down her nose in unspoken judgement. Adeline lacked every quality that Sophie possessed; her entire posture and expression making her seem unpleasant. What was worse was her costume, while Sophie had picked something slightly revealing but classy, Adeline had seemingly picked the outfit with the least fabric she could find. When Kiyomi had asked what it was, Adeline had replied 'A Mouse, hmph!'

Kiyomi returned her gaze to the entrance. She waited hopefully that the next group to enter would be hers, but it never was. Instead it was always some group of students she didn't know. They would always enter and stop to marvel at what had been done with the space. The old wooden building had been suitably decorated, large cobwebs hanging across the doors and stage, pumpkins arranged around the room, bats hanging from the ceiling and assorted items such fake body parts and dead animals liberally scattered across the room.

Kiyomi allowed herself a small prideful smile, she (and the other planners) had done well, and if the decorations were any indicator for how the rest of the night would go, then they had nothing to worry about.

Her smile of pride changed into one of relief, Neo, Misa, and the others had finally arrived. She marched over to them, ready to usher Misa and Neo over to the other Miss Halloween contestants.

Kiyomi took stock of all their outfits as she walked over. _'Neo is Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz? That's… different. Matt and Mello look fine, if a little generic, and wow L looks surprisingly good in coat and tails, maybe he should dress well more often.'_ She nodded and shifted her gaze onto the others. _'Light looks hot, and that's quite a cape he's got on, makes him look like a bit of a megalomaniac though. And oh my lord Near, what did they put you in? I mean wow he has a good figure, but still, that's very… wow.'_ Kiyomi shook her head in disbelief and looked over at Misa. _'Oh are you kidding me!?'_ She thought angrily.

Kiyomi looked down at her outfit and back at Misa's. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with Misa's outfit, she actually on Kiyomi's opinion made quite a good Harley Quinn. It was just that Kiyomi had gone as Catwoman. _'This is going to make us look petty and competitive isn't it?'_ Kiyomi thought with a sigh. As if to confirm her thoughts, she saw Light roll his eyes and Mello mouth 'Fuck Me' quite vigorously.

'You're late.' She said reproachfully.

'Sorry.' Misa said.

'I'm not.' Neo said.

'Just go over to that spot beside the stage.' Kiyomi instructed.

The two girls broke away from the group.

'And you boys can just sit at any free table.' Kiyomi said.

The boys began to move toward one of the tables.

'Light.' Kiyomi said. 'Can you stay a moment?'

Light nodded for the others to go on and then turned to face Kiyomi.

'What?' He asked impatiently.

'I just wanted to apologize for…'

'Don't.' He said, cutting across her words.

'But I…'

'Don't.' He said again. 'Just don't Kiyomi.'

He turned and left, weaving through the tables to the one that the others had chosen. Kiyomi just stood there, feeling as if she had had a spike rammed through her chest. She felt as though her dream was shattering around her, being torn apart by Lights anger.

' _This isn't how it's supposed to go, I'm Chang'e and you're Hou Yi… this isn't how it's supposed to go…'_

…

' _He's fine.' Kiyomi said, returning to the others who were all gathered around the flickering fire._

 _It was at that moment Near threw up._

 _He coughed and wretched loudly, expelling all the food and fluids he'd consumed in a sticky mess into the nearest bush. Kiyomi just sighed defeat as the others gave her a look that screamed the word 'He's fine is he?'_

' _I think I'm just going to go back to my dorm now.' She said._

' _That's probably best.' Light agreed in a slight passive aggressive tone, still angry about her earlier actions._

' _Night all.' She said, feeling slightly hurt at Lights aggression, but she realised, he really did have justification._

 _As she left Neo stood and went over to Near, who was still throwing up into a bush, she knelt beside him and rubbed his back, someone, in her opinion, had to step up, and she guessed it was her turn._

' _There there.' Neo said without conviction._

 _Near gave one finally cough, and groaned loudly. Neo smiled, she couldn't help but enjoy the situation._

' _Last time we get you drunk.' She said._

' _I don't believe that.' Near mumbled._

 _Neo thought if remarkable that even when he his head was clouded by intoxication he was still incredibly perceptive. He was right too, which made it all the more remarkable._

' _Ok, you're right.' She said._

 _Near nodded._

' _But don't mistake this for actual kindness.' She warned. 'I don't actually care about you or anyone.'_

' _I don't believe that either.' Near said._

' _Whatever, you don't know me' Neo said jokingly._

' _I don't think anyone really does.'_

' _What's that meant to mean?'_

 _Neo waited for an answer but Near had already lost concentration, his attention shifting from the conversation to a dried leaf on the ground._

…

'Welcome everyone to this years Miss Halloween competition!' Said a jovial male MC on the stage.

'Yes, welcome' His female counterpart agreed. 'It's going to be an excellent evening, the planners really have pulled out all the stops this year.'

'They sure have, but first thing first, it's time for this years Miss Halloween competition!'

'It sure is! For anyone who doesn't know how this works let us break it down for you. The competition is split into three categories, interview, costume, and talent!'

'Our judges give the girls an agreed upon score out of 100 for each category. The girl who scores the highest total takes the title of Miss Halloween!'

'So without further ado, lets begin! First up is the interview!'

'Can you all please give a big round of a applause for the first lovely lady, Miss Sophie Anderson!'

There was polite clapping from the audience as Sophie walked up onto stage, she walked over to the seat and began her interview.

'So Sophie, tell us a little bit about yourself.'

'Well…' She began.

The judges were all watching intently and making notes, listening to her every word and assessing them based on some unknown criteria.

Neo rolled her eyes, the whole idea of a beauty competition was ridiculous and she was deeply opposed to it. In truth she really didn't know why she had entered. She had told herself it was because she wanted to prove that she could be a normal person, but that wasn't really it.

Sophie finished up and another girl went up on stage. Neo had been thinking over Near's words from the night before, she kept telling herself that _'he was just drunk, he didn't mean it.'_ But she didn't believe these self-assurances, she knew very well that Near had meant every word because, as Kiyomi had frequently said, being drunk removes your inhibitions and as a result you say and do things you want to say and do but normally don't.

' _Is he right?'_ She wondered. _'Do I know who I am? Have I been pretending? Would I even be able to find myself anymore?'_ Neo wanted to find an easy answer, to be assured and confident in herself, but she couldn't do it. The nagging sensation that she was pretending kept at her.

'And next up, she beautiful and brilliant, it's Miss Misa Amane!'

Neo watched as Misa walked up on stage to a vigorous clapping and a few wolf whistles. She didn't seem phased and in fact seemed to bask in all the attention, becoming invigorated and empowered by it. She sat and readied herself for her interview, armed with her bubbly personality and armoured with her most disarming smile.

'So Misa, tell us a little bit about yourself?'

' _How am I going to answer that question?'_ Neo asked herself. _'Do I even know myself well enough to answer, have I been hiding for too long?'_ Neo willed to have certainty in herself, but she couldn't, she just didn't know. _'Who am I?'_

'Well I'm Misa Amane, but you already know that don't you?' Misa said.

What she said wasn't funny in any way, but she was so charming that the audience laughed anyway.

'And I love to perform!' Misa continued. 'I'm and actor, musician, and dancer…'

Her interview continued swimmingly, Misa holding herself with grace and poise. She seemed so calm and comfortable up on the stage, as if she had been made to perform for others. By the end of her three minute interview she had her interviewers and the entire audience waiting on her every word, completely under her control. The gasped and laughed at just the right moments, as if it had all been rehearsed, and they gave a thunderous applause as she left.

'Next up, well known for her fearsome glare, biting remarks, and a refusal to give out her actual name, it's none other than Neo!'

Neo stood and walked up onto stage, her body immediately tensing under the scrutinizing stare of her audience. _'Is that all I'm known for? Is that me?'_ Her applause was very subdued, most people it seemed, were too scared to clap properly. She sat, attempting to smile and look happy to be there, but her muscles refused to obey, so she gave up on that.

'So Neo, tell us a little bit about yourself.'

' _This is it.'_ Neo thought. _'I have this chance to be honest and decide who I am, to stop hiding.'_

'Well…' She began.

 **To Be Contiued**

* * *

 _A/N: Drunk Near, L's crush, Neo's identity crisis, oh my! A lot happened in this chapter, haha! I really enjoyed choosing the Halloween outfits for all the characters! Anyway, please let me know what you thought by leaving a review, and stay tuned for the next chapter!_


	22. Chapter 19: The Halloween Ball - Part 2

_A/N: This chapter was very quick, when you finish school you suddenly have so much free time... Anyway, enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

'Well…' Neo began.

' _Be honest, don't try to hide yourself, just let the words flow.'_ Neo kept this mantra in mind as she went toanswer the question. _'Be honest with yourself.'_ As she went to say the first word she felt an instinct kick in, the sarcasm rose up and permeated throughout the honest words, changing them into a different entity altogether so that when Neo said them, the mask was back up:

'I'm Neo.' Neo said, with a sarcastic joviality. 'And I love, um, people… places…. And things!'

The audience was entirely silent, Neo knew she had to go on, she was expected to give a lengthy answer. She tried to find the honesty and channel it but the sensation was gone, instead she continued her with her sarcastic mask.

'A few ground rules if you ever want to get to know me.' Neo said.

'Oh?' The male MC said, intrigued, sensing (incorrectly) a genuine answer.

'If you ever talk to me in Spanish please use the formal "Usted".' Neo began, the expressions of the MC's both dropping. 'I have a no noise rule on Mondays, if you ever watch Toy Story with me you have to wear mascara so I can see how much you cried, also…'

'Yes.' Both the MC's said hopefully.

'Also.' Neo repeated. 'I like long walks on the beach, knitting, unicorns and…'

Everyone took in a breath of anticipation.

'Stabbing things.'

Everyone let out their breath, disappointed.

'One time I was taking a walk on the beach with my knitting needles when I came across a unicorn, and well, the rest is history.'

The silence that followed the conclusion to the anecdote was palpable. The MC's looked like they were in shock, completely uncertain as to how they were supposed to manage the situation. The judges and other Miss Halloween contestants looked mortified, as if someone had just desecrated a holy sanctuary, and from their perspective, Neo realised, she probably had done just that. The audience didn't dare to do anything, unsure as to what kind of tension was filling the room.

It was Matt who broke the silence, dissolving into hysterical laughter that he tried to stop by covering his mouth. This only amplified and distorted the noise so that it echoed around the room, sounding like a strange mix between someone farting and a machine gun. Mello began laughing a moment later, partially at Matt's own laughter and partially at Neo's incredible answer. Several other people around the room began to laugh also, some nervously and some heartily but most people just glared at them.

'Um…' The female MC said, trying to recompose herself. 'So why did you, um, ah, enter Miss Halloween?'

'Because I wanted to crush the hopes and dreams of all the other contestants.' Neo said earnestly.

This answer divided the audience even further, most taken back with a new wave of disturbance and a select few laughing even harder, Matt and Mello so hard that his eyes were watering. The interview finished quickly, the MC's seemingly desperate to get Neo of the stage.

The rest of the interviews continued on with no other major occurrences of note except for Adeline who managed to horribly offend every single person in the audience with her culturally insensitive slurs.

While Adeline was working hard to inadvertently make herself the most hated person in the entire school Neo sat in a bitter silence. She was hidden down by the side of the stage, finding the spot that was enveloped by shadows, so that hopefully no one could see her. _'I couldn't do it.'_ She thought angrily. _'I choked and played pretend.'_

She knew she had betrayed one of her deepest values, authenticity. It was the criteria with which she judged every person, her three closest friends being the only ones to come close to being truly genuine people in her opinion. _'I hold it so dearly but I betray it every day, I'm a fraud, a fake, a hypocritical bitch.'_

Neo searched herself for the reason why she had choked, why she had been unable to just be honest with herself and others. But deep down she already knew the reason. _'Damn him.'_ She thought bitterly. _'Damn him, I try to run away from him and live my life but he still dictates every action I take, damn him.'_ Neo hadn't cried since she was eight, but right in that moment she almost felt driven to tears of anger, self loathing building up inside of her.

'Neo?'

'What?' Neo snapped, looking to see who was interrupting her.

It was Misa. While she may have been trying to convey sympathy her thick make up gave her a degree of happiness, making her every attempt to seem empathetic come of as slightly disingenuous. Misa was taken aback slightly by Neo's hostility but continued on anyway.

'It's just that, well…' Misa said.

'Spit it out Misa.'

'Well… are you ok?'

'I'm fine.' Neo said loudly, then added more calmly. 'Pretend that I said that without shouting.'

'Do you want to talk about it?'

'No.' Neo mumbled.

Misa sat down next to her, their shoulders rubbing against each other.

'What are you doing?' Neo asked scornfully.

'Listening.' Misa said.

'I don't want to talk.'

'Yes you do.'

'I never talk about things with anyone.'

'That's because no one listens.'

'I still don't want to talk about it.'

'Is it because of what Near said?'

'Shut up Misa.'

'It is isn't it?' Misa pushed.

'Shut up.' Neo repeated forcefully.

'Isn't it?'

'I said shut up Misa.' Neo said scathingly, intending for every word to sting. 'Near was right about you, you don't really care do you? Do you?'

Misa looked like she had just been slapped across the face. Neo knew that she had gone to far, that what she had said wasn't necessary and overly hurtful. _'That was wrong.'_ Neo thought. _'I have to fix this, it's a chance to be genuine, to be honest, just fix it.'_ Neo willed herself to find the words.

'I'm sorry.' Neo mumbled.

Misa couldn't believe what she had just heard.

'What did you say?' She asked.

'I won't repeat myself.'

Misa wrapped Neo up a tight hug, clinging to her. Neo looked incredibly uncomfortable but didn't do anything to extract herself, waiting for Misa to let up instead. The blonde knew that Neo hadn't meant what she had said, but the words still lingered and hurt. She hadn't thought about it since the night before, but now she really considered it. _'Is Near right? About her, and about me?'_

…

 _Misa walked over to where Near and Neo were sitting, carrying a paper towel in hand. Near it seemed, had just finished throwing up violently and was now fixated on a dead leaf. Why that particular leaf was so interesting neither could fathom._

' _Near.' Misa said, while a kind smile._

 _Near looked up at her, his head swaying from side to side and his eyes beginning to droop from exhaustion._

' _Mmm?' He murmured._

' _Hold still.' Misa said._

 _Near tried to the best of his inhibited abilities to do so, keeping his involuntary swaying to an absolute minimum. Misa knelt down and began to wipe off all the vomit that had run over his lips and chin._

' _Wow, Misa the mother to the rescue.' Neo said sarcastically._

' _What was he getting at?' Misa asked. 'Just before.'_

' _I dunno.' Neo lied._

' _Because it sounded like he thought you were pretending with something.'_

' _Maybe.' Neo muttered._

' _Is he right?'_

' _I don't think so.'_

' _There.' Misa said, wiping off the last bit of vomit and throwing the paper towel in the nearest bush. 'Done, lets get you back to your dorm and into bed.'_

' _I'm not… sleepy.' Near said with a big yawn._

' _You.' Misa said like a doting mother. 'Are a big fat liar.'_

' _Not I'm not.' Near said._

' _Yes you are.' Misa said teasingly. 'You're a liar.'_

' _Well.' Near said in drunken retaliation. 'You're a person-thing who doesn't even care about other people-things, you just like to perform and make a spectacle, because all you want is the… the…'_

 _Near's entire body fell to side, the small albino falling asleep mid sentence. Misa and Neo both looked at each other in shock, unsure how to take Near's sudden attack. The others hadn't heard anything, Near's words lost in a loud discussion they were having, it was just the two girls who had heard._

…

Misa paraded around the stage, flaunting her Harley Quinn costume in every possible way for the second category. Because she had done modelling before, what she was doing now was practically instinct, Misa just falling into a natural rhythm and pattern of movements. As a result she was able to let her mind wonder, her thoughts inevitably focusing on Near's words the night before.

' _Am I just a performer?'_ She wondered. _'Of course I am, it's what I'm good at, I love performing, it gives me life.'_ She thought about how she had been treating Light over the last few days, why had she been trying to make him jealous rather than talk it out? Was Near right? Was she doing it just for a spectacle? _'Is there any other way for me to live?'_

She gave one final spin and strutted off the stage, hoping that Light was watching enviously. _'There I go again.'_ Neo walked past her and up onto stage, Misa stopped to watch.

Neo was not a natural at modelling, her movements were jerky and unnatural, Neo never having been one to flaunt her body. Misa watched as she walked up to the front of the stage, tried to smile but gave up and instead opted for a piercing stare. It didn't help that the ruby slippers were healed, Neo having never to Misa's knowledge worn heals before.

Despite how uncomfortably awkward the whole ordeal was Misa couldn't help but admire her. She had never told Neo but she did envy her in many ways, she loved the way the girl always seemed so comfortable in her own skin. _'She so self assured, she knows who she is and what she wants without a doubt.'_ Misa thought. _'I wish I was like that, but I'm just a Camellia.'_

Neo made her way quickly off stage, Adeline stepping up next much to everyone's dismay. Neo sat next to Misa and sighed with disbelief.

'How do you do that?' Neo asked.

'I don't know.' Misa said honestly. 'Just when I get up on a stage something comes over me and all of a sudden I know exactly what to do.'

Neo nodded, accepting the answer. The two girls fell into a silence, both of their minds occupied by their own thoughts. _'Do I really just use people to make a spectacle, is that really all I am?'_ Misa wondered. _'Why am I pursuing him, what do I want? And what does he want?'_

'What am I going to do about Light?' Misa asked.

Neo turned to face Misa in surprise.

'Why are you asking me? Relationship advice is Matt's forte.' Neo said quickly.

'I know.' Misa said. 'But I want to hear from you. Please.'

Neo sighed again. She was unsure as to why Misa would want to hear what she had to say, _'its not like anyone actually values my opinion or looks up to me.'_ But she decided she would answer anyway.

'Well.' Neo said. 'You have to ask yourself if you actually like him.'

'What do you mean?' Misa asked, puzzled.

'Well, do you like Light or do you like the idea of liking Light?'

'I…' Misa began. 'I think I like the idea of Light liking me.'

'But do you actually like him.'

'I think so.'

'You think so?'

'I don't know.' Misa said. 'I've just been trying to make him like me so I can figure that out.'

' _Where did that come from?'_ Misa wondered. _'Is that really why? I've been telling myself I'm trying to make him jealous but maybe that's really it.'_ Misa felt uncertainty grow within her, the longer she thought about this the less she felt she really knew.

'You've been trying to make Light jealous?' Neo said. 'As if that's going to work, it's Light.'

'I don't know what else to do.'

'Just be…' Neo began.

She trailed of, becoming lost in her thoughts. Misa waited for Neo to finish and when it didn't seem like she was going to do so she gave her a little nudge, pulling her back to reality.

'Just be what?' Misa asked.

'Honest.' Neo said in a barely audible whisper. 'Just be honest with yourself.'

' _Just be honest with myself?'_ Misa thought. _'But I'm not lying, I'm just a Camellia, no scent, I'm nothing. I can only have a scent when I'm with other flowers. Is that what Near meant, I don't care about other people? I just want to make a spectacle to give myself meaning?'_

Before Misa could finish her thoughts she was interrupted.

'And up first for the Talent category is Misa Amane!' The male MC said.

Misa stumbled as she went up the stairs, still distracted. The audience all lent forward in perfect synchronisation, a collective worry for the dazed looking blonde on stage sweeping through the enraptured audience. Misa blinked herself back to normal, _'I'm going to pull through this, I'm a performer so lets perform.'_ As she did the audience all exhaled with relief, Light more so than anyone else.

'You good there?' The female MC asked kindly.

'Of course!' Misa said, channelling bubbliness that most accepted for normal, but for those who knew her, was obviously false.

'That's great.' The male MC said. 'So what're you going to be doing for us?'

'Singing 'Nicotine' by Panic! At the Disco.' Misa said with a smile.

'Great!' The female MC said, clearly with no idea what song or band was. 'Take it away.'

The MC's moved to the side and feigned interest as Misa strode to centre stage, took the mic, and began to sing. She immediately stole the attention of even the most distracted audience member. Her voice was enchanting but tough, it's strong feminie base sound being layered with vibrato. _'Hear what I have to say Light Yagami, hear me.'_

"Cross my heart and hope to die

Burn my lungs and curse my eyes

I've lost control and I don't want it back

I'm going numb, I've been hijacked

It's a fucking drag

I taste you on my lips and I can't get rid of you

So I say damn your kiss and the awful things you do

Yeah, you're worse than nicotine, nicotine

Yeah, you're worse than nicotine, nicotine"

To most of the audience it was just and excellent performance, Misa commanding the attention of everyone. However for her seven closest friends throughout the room they recognized the performance for what it really was. Light squirmed slightly uncomfortably in his seat, the other four guys at the table casting him the occasional sideways glance, he knew he was the subject of the song. _'She's telling us how she feels the only way she knows how, by performing.'_ Both L, who was sitting next to him, and Kiyomi who stood across the room looking like they were suppressing incredible jealously. Kiyomi, Light could understand, but L, he didn't know why.

"Just one more hit and then we're through

'Cause you could never love me back

Cut every tie I have to you

'Cause your love's a fucking drag

But I need it so bad

Your love's a fucking drag

But I need it so bad

Yeah, you're worse than nicotine, nicotine

Yeah, you're worse than nicotine, nicotine"

Misa's voice had risen through the bridge and boomed through the last two lines, but as she uttered the final syllable her voice dropped into a soft whisper. It was vulnerable and tender, a complete contrast against the rest of her performance. When she finished she stood, smiled, and waved, basking in the thunderous applause from the audience.

Misa smiled a quietly confident smile and she looked over the audience, her gaze lingering on the table with her friends, from which the loudest applause and cheering was emanating. She left the stage confidently, her high-worn pigtails bobbing in response to her confident stride.

The rest of the performances were largely insignificant. While there were several good ones, Sophie giving an impressive performance on the violin, a junior doing a highly metaphorical and technically impressive dance, and, much to everyone's surprise, Neo reciting a poem with surprisingly moving prose:

'…I'd rather be unseen, and if

then shunned by everyone,

then to be a pleasant smelling flower,

growing in clusters in the fertile valley,

where they're praised, handled, and plucked

by greedy, human hands…'

Adeline also provided a first class demonstration on how to utterly humiliate yourself, singing a French Power Ballad in a horrifically screechy voice. However, none could truly compare to Misa and so ten minutes later when the judges had deliberated, it was no surprise to anyone that Misa had (for the second Year running) taken the title of Miss Halloween.

Almost every single male in the audience stood to give her a standing ovation. Mello, Near, and Matt all stood and cheered her on, but Light and L remained firmly seated, unusually dark looks on their faces.

…

' _I'll carry him.' Matt offered._

 _The others all accepted without complaint, all being to tired to carry the unconscious Near. He hauled the small boy over his shoulders whilst the other gathered the esky's and uneaten food, and they made their way back down the dirt track toward their dorms._

' _Well I'd say tonight was a success.' Light said._

 _The others all expressed their agreement in varyingly tired mumbles. Misa gave Light a small smile, whether it was because he hadn't noticed her or because he was choosing to ignore her, he didn't smile in return. Misa looked slightly hurt at this, but continued on in silence, too tired to make a scene._

 _The group reached the Sophomore dorms, Misa and Neo branching off toward the girls building, while the guys returned to theirs. On the way up the stairs, Mello, who was slightly tipsy and totally exhausted, slipped on one of the stairs._

' _Fuck.' He yelled, grabbing the railing with a flailing hand before he fell backwards down the stairs._

 _The others all snickered at him, trying to keep their voices down so as not to wake anyone up, they weren't meant to be out after 10pm after all. Matt felt his body convulse with contained laughter, as if someone was running currents of electricity through him. He heard a tired little groan, apparently he had just shaken Near awake._

' _Matt?' He mumbled._

' _You awake Kiddo?'_

 _Near groaned quietly, Matt took this for a yes._

' _I feel awful.' Near said._

' _Trust me it'll be worse tomorrow.'_

 _Near groaned again, this time a more sickly sound._

' _Do you want me to put you down for a moment?' Matt asked kindly._

 _He felt Near nod, and so he lowered himself to the floor, letting Near slide off his back and onto the ground. Matt looked at the others, waving them to go on ahead, they did so._

' _Let me know when you're ready to keep going.' Matt said, sitting next to Near._

' _You're very nice.' Near said, his words still slightly laced with intoxication._

' _Thanks Kiddo.'_

' _You always do lots of nice-good things for other people.'_

' _I like to make people happy little guy.'_

' _You should do something for yourself.' Near mumbled._

' _Should I just?'_

' _Yeah, you should.'_

…

'And that concludes this years Miss Halloween competition!' The male MC said.

'There will be dancing and more food for the rest of the evening, so enjoy!' The female MC said.

The two then walked off the stage, looking very relieved that they wouldn't have to be up on stage any longer pretending to be interested. The Miss Halloween contestants then began to weave their way through the tables back to their respective groups of friends. Matt spotted Misa and Neo approaching, the former with a bright red sash around her that shouted with bold lettering 'Miss Halloween', the latter looking tired and annoyed, making no effort to ensure she didn't hit people with her basket.

'Hey guys!' Misa said happily. 'What did you think?'

'It was great Misa.' Matt said honestly. 'You were hilarious Neo.'

He added this with a cheeky grin and she glared at him. He took a skull cookie from the tray of Halloween themed baked goods in the centre of the table and bit into it challengingly. Neo humoured him by responding with an over the top pout.

Misa seemed content to ignore this exchange, and instead turned her focus onto Light.

'What did you think of the song?' She asked.

'It was fine.' Light responded.

Misa's expression fell at this, her chirpiness being replaced by a silent anger.

'Just fine?'

'Just fine.' He agreed.

'I thought you would have liked it.' She snapped. 'I thought over the top expressions were your thing.'

'Not in front of the whole school.' He snapped back. 'If you like me then just ask me out for coffee or something.'

They were starting to draw attention now, people from the tables around them watching, some attempting to be covert, others staring shamelessly. Light had stood now, coming nose-to-nose and looming over the smaller Misa. She seemed undaunted however, staring straight back at him.

'I was going to ask you out.' Misa said. 'But when I did I stumbled on you making out with Adeline.'

A collective gasp was shared by everyone.

'You idiot Misa.' Light shouted back. 'She came onto me! You think I would want to kiss that disgusting girl?'

This warranted another gasp (and a few cheers) from the people around.

'Well why didn't you say that?' Misa said.

'Because I didn't know you had seen!' Light yelled. 'You're just so stupidly irrational, if you had thought for even one moment…'

'Well I'm sorry I'm not as smart as the rest of you guys!' Misa said. 'You've made it very clear that its some kind of crime, so forget it Light, forget it.'

She stormed off, bumping into several people on the way. Everyone watched her go, and then returned their gaze to Light. He looked furious with her, but rather than chasing after her he walked away in the opposite direction. As he left he muttered something under his breath, most of it was incoherent but Matt was sure he heard the words 'why' and 'care'.

L stood to go after him, back Matt grabbed him around the wrist and pulled him back into his seat.

'Leave them for a while.' He said.

L looked confused, but nodded.

'I'm going to get some punch.' Matt said. 'Anyone else want some.'

Mello and Near expressed that they would and Matt departed, making for the punch bowl on the other side of the room. He navigated his way between the tables and through tightly clustered groups of students, all dressed up in Halloween costumes of varying quality. Some had gone all out, clearly having dipped into their family fortunes to buy the best costumes available. Other clearly hadn't given a damn either way, and so had made something slapdash at the last moment. The seniors had been so lazy, Matt noticed, that they had just worn their normal clothes and had attached small pieces of paper saying 'FBI'.

Matt wondered what he was going to do about the mess with Misa and Light. He knew that whether it was stated or not it fell to him to fix everything, having long since been appointed the go-to with issues concerning relationships. The problem Matt felt he was facing was that he couldn't remain impartial. Until now every issues had concerned one of his friends and one outsider. Even the Sophie, Mello, and Light had been easy because it had been out of their control the whole time.

' _But this is different.'_ Matt thought as he filled up three cups with the blood red punch. _'Because I can't remain an objective outsider.'_ He knew that if he decided to help only one then he was picking a side but if he helped them all then he was just perpetuating an uncomfortable situation. He knew that the easy way to avoid this was to assist Light in picking someone, _'but all he does is avoid the situation, he's no help.'_

For the first time Matt really resented the unofficial position he had been awarded by his friends. _'This whole situation is a mess, Kiyomi, Misa, and possibly L all after Light.'_ Matt knew who he wanted to help, and that person was L. He had always felt a strange urge to help people like L with romance, he knew it was part of the reason he had been so keen to assist Near. _'What am I going to do?'_

He returned to the table, handed Mello and Near their punch and then noticed that L was missing.

'Where's L?' Matt asked.

'Misa came by a moment a go and dragged him to dance with her.' Mello said.

' _Misa you idiot what are you doing now? Trying to make Light jealous? This can't end well.'_ Matt felt like he should go and find her and stop her from doing anything foolish. But he decided to not to _. 'You know what? Near is right, I should actually take some time to myself for once. I have a right to enjoy this evening and not spend it chasing after Misa and Light.'_

Matt thought about what he wanted to do. His eyes fell on the dance floor. A good half of the students were there now, their faces and shining under the flashing lights. He drank all of his punch, went to adjust his goggles, realised he wasn't wearing then, and so settled for tightening his belt purposefully. He turned to face Neo who was looking very bored and said:

'Hey doll face? Wanna dance my way?' He said in a bad 50's American accent.

Rather than roll her eyes as she normally would, Neo stood, offered her hand and responded in an equally bad accent.

'Is there any other to go, Daddi-o?'

'You speak the lingo, but are you moves as fast as your pretty little lips?'

'Wouldn't you like to know' Neo said teasingly.

'Jesus fucking Christ.' Mello said. 'Please just leave before I fucking hurt you both.'

Matt and Neo both smiled and departed. Mello rolled his eyes and shook his head, smiling to himself. Near watched him, very confused as to what he had just witnessed.

…

 _There was a small knock on the door. Mello groaned, peeled himself off the couch, and went to the door. He opened it, ready to berate Matt about forgetting his key, but his words were halted before they ever began. Matt stood there with Near asleep in his arms._

' _Fuck me.' Mello whispered._

' _He fell asleep before I got him home, so I figured he could just crash here.' Matt explained._

 _Mello nodded, to tired to complain. Matt entered the room and set Near down on their battered couch, Mello went and found a spare blanket and threw it over the small boy._

' _He's a pretty interesting drunk.' Matt commented whilst he took of his shirt._

' _Sure is.' Mello agreed. 'Goofy and honest.'_

' _Yep.' Matt said. 'I don't think he would have said anything he said tonight if he had been sober.'_

' _True.' Mello agreed._

' _Night.' Matt said, having now stripped to his underwear and clambered onto the top bunk._

' _Night.' Mello said._

 _He felt a new surge of exhaustion run through him, but he stood there and watching Near for a few more moments._

…

Mello watched Near now, observing the small boy whilst he spoke, trying to make his small voice heard over the music.

Mello tried to pay attention to what Near was saying, but he found his attention drifting over Near's body instead. It strange, seeing the boy dressed in clothes that exposed so much of his white marble flesh, it excentuated his lithe physique. Mello's gaze drifted over Near's exposed midriff, his small waist and 'innie' belly button exposed, and down to Near's legs. _'If I hadn't known you were a guy I would have you mistaken you for a girl.'_ Mello thought.

Mello wondered if he would have still been as attracted to Near if he was a girl? _'Maybe I'd like him more, maybe at lot less.'_ But Mello realised that gender had nothing to do with this, he didn't feel attraction to Near because he was a specific gender, he was attracted to Near because he was Near. And that was good enough for him

'Mello?' Near said, nudging the blonde.

Mello blinked and realised he had just zoned out for the last thirty seconds, completely missing everything Near had said.

'Sorry what?' Mello asked.

'I asked if you wanted to go dance.' Near explained.

Mello grinned.

'Yeah, ok.'

Mello took Near by the hand and led him through the crowd toward the dance floor. He could feel Near struggle to keep up but he really didn't care, ever since he had made Near promise him the dance he had been looking forward to it. He just hoped Matt had taught him well.

The next song came on, beginning with a tribal sounding chant.

"Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga

Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga

Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga

Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga…"

Near took the lead, swaying his hips side to side. He looked incredibly self conscious Mello noticed, he still wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of dancing, and it wouldn't help that he was wearing a short dress rather than something more comfortable.

"…I can't stop this feeling

Deep inside of me

Girl, you don't realize

What you do to me

When you hold me

In your arms so tight

You let me know

Everything's all right…'

Near had been inching steadily towards Mello as the vocals had begun, pressing his body against the blondes. He still looked adorably uncomfortable with what he was doing, and Mello was about to stop him, take pity. But at that point Near had turned and begun to grind against him, and Mello had decided that things like pity and mercy could wait for a few more moments.

Instead he looked around, now feeling very hot and flustered. He found Matt and Neo who were wildly dancing, swinging their limbs around ferousiously and laughing. Matt met his gaze, and gave him a small wink.

"Iiiiiiiii'm… hooked on a feeling…"

As the song roared soared into the chorus, leading with a loud clap and vocal bellowing, Mello had his attention drawn back to Near. The albino had just dropped to the floor, leads spread and shot straight back up in a perfect slut drop. If Mello had been hot and flustered before, then he was boiling now. He didn't know what to say or do, so he just searched for Matt again and mouthed 'thank you' to him. The red head returned with a small nod and knowing smile.

Near continued his generally enticing dancing through the rest of the song, Mello never being given the chance to take the lead, not that he minded all that much.

The song faded out and Near finally stopped his onslaught on dance moves, allowing Mello enough to time to recover his breath and let some blood return to his brain. Near gave him a very self conscious smile, like he was incredibly embarrassed but also proud of what he had just done. Near went to leave, his quota of one dance being filled, but Mello stopped him. The mandatory slow dance song had just come on.

Mello pulled Near back in, took him by the waist and led him in a slow two-step. Near looked uncertain as to what he was supposed to do, as he and Mello stepped from side to side.

'Put your hands around my neck.' Mello whispered.

Near did so, and the two began to began to move as one, Mello leading and Near following.

"Mad sounds in your ears, they make you feel alright

They bring you back to life

Made sounds in your ears, they make you get up and dance

They make you get up

Yeah they make you get up…"

Mello starred into Near's eyes, watching all the different emotions flow through them. The blonde saw adoration, comfort, happiness and a multitude of others, including one that he wouldn't have recognized if it hadn't been for the night before. _'He's being perfectly honest with me.'_ Mello thought. Near said nothing, but his silence said everything to Mello, he understood what the albino meant, even if Near himself did not.

'Do you remember anything you said last night?' Mello whispered.

Near shook his head. The song soared into the chorus, all the couples around them drew closer together. Mello smiled.

'Pity.' He said.

Near raised his eyebrows, asking why.

Rather than answer Near's unspoken question, Mello began to lean in toward the albino. Mello saw the albino's storm eyes widen with comprehension, then excitement, then acceptance. Near responded by leaning toward Mello, closing his eyes and parting his red lips ever so slightly.

Mello felt like smiling but knew that it wasn't exactly the right moment. Instead he closed his own eyes and continued leaning in. Time felt as if it were slowing down, every moment before contact lasting a lifetime. Mello wondered what the people around would think, but realised he didn't care. In that moment the only thing he cared about was the person in front of him.

'Mels look.' Matt said, barging between them.

Mello felt the perfect moment shatter, becoming irretrievably damaged and lost. He wanted to punch Matt for barging in between them like this, _'hadn't he seen? What could be so fucking important?'_ Mello saw Near step away slightly, and a whole new level of anger filled him, he wanted to kill Matt.

'What?' He snapped, resisting the urge to shake the red head by his shirt.

Matt, Mello realised, looked completely shocked and dazed, as if something was holding every ounce of attention he possessed. Mello followed Matt's gaze and saw it, his jaw dropping at the sight.

L's eyes were wide open, his arms flailing as if he were in a pool and unable to swim. In a sense he was.

Because Misa was kissing him.

…

 _Mello watched the sleeping Near shift slightly on the couch, his unconscious body wiggling, trying to nestle itself into a perfect position on the uncomfortable item of furniture. Mello, smiled and moved towards his bed, taking off his shirt as he did._

 _He was stopped by the sounds of Near mumbling._

 _He turned and face the albino, his eye open ever so slightly._

' _Mello?' He said._

' _Yeah?'_

' _Where I am?'_

' _In Matt's and my room.' Mello said._

' _I don't remember that.'_

' _You were asleep.' Mello said._

' _Oh.'_

' _Get some sleep.'_

' _Ok.' Near said, closing his eyes again._

 _Mello stood and moved toward his bed again, unzipping the fly of his leather pants as he did._

' _Mello.' Near whispered. 'I love you.'_

 _Mello turned around, his azure eyes wide in astonishment. He strode over to Near, ready to say something to him but the albino was already asleep again. Mello pulled the patchy blanket over Near, making sure his whole body was covered._

' _I love you too.' He whispered back._

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

A/N: Light and Misa shouting, Near and Mello almost kissing, L and Misa actually kissing! All that drama was a lot of fun to write! Anyway, please leave a review, all comments and criticism is welcome! And stay tuned for the next part of the story!

Note: There were quite a few songs in this chapter, Misa mentions the name of her song, the other two were .'Hooked on a Feeling' by Blue Swede and 'Mad Sounds' by Arctic Monkeys. Also, the poem Neo recites is called 'Identity'.


	23. Chapter 20: Thus Kindly I Scatter

_A/N: I don't really have much to say, just enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: Own Death Note, I do not._

* * *

 **PART THREE**

There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire.

The other is to gain it.

-George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

* * *

Near, Mello, Matt, and Neo all stood in total shock, watching Misa pull away slowly from L, their lips slowly unlocking. L stood frozen, trying to take in what had just happened but the thoughts weren't registering properly, he just couldn't fathom why this had happened. At first Misa appeared to be proud, but as she took a moment to think, realising that is was indeed her ruby crimson lipstick smeared over L's mouth, her expression fell. Regret, anger, and sadness all collided on her face at the same time, tears starting as she shouted:

'Oh my god, what have I done? I'm sorry! I'm sorry!'

The whispers began to spread out across the room like ripples through water, the other students making wild assumptions from mouths hidden by cupped hands. Within a minute the information had circulated through the entire room, mad theories, exclamations of shock (and dismay from a few overly hopefully males), and increasingly unbelievable anecdotes of people telling 'what they saw'. The only established fact was that Misa Amane, newly crowned Miss Halloween and school sweetheart had kissed general weirdo and reclusive genius L. Every other fact was open to interpretation, three very popular, but very different, versions of the story shooting around and causing a commotion.

Misa continued her breakdown, collapsing onto the floor, her thick make-up running as she blubbered incoherently. Meanwhile L stood in a daze, still trying to make sense of what was going on but the swirling piranha pool of gossip hungry students making it impossible as they tore at him for information. _'Are you two dating?', 'how long have you been together?', 'Did you just break up?', 'Did L sexually assault her? The freak!', 'Nice job man, wish I was you.', 'Misa, are you ok?', 'Of course she isn't Jessica, L just sexually assaulted her!', 'Oh my God Becky, he didn't sexually assault her, it's L! Now shut up!', 'Did you just tell me to shut up Jessica?', 'Yes, bitch.', 'Well fuck you too Becky!'_

It was Matt who first recovered, a few desperate students had begun to swirl around him, Mello, Near, and Neo, known associates of the two persons in question. He looked around, his mind switching into a clinical and detached state. Matt listed the resources he had available to him, Neo, Near, Mello, and Kiyomi, who had just arrived, looking on the scene with complete disbelief. The red head then picked out the obstacles, L and Misa's mental state, the wall of students, and the twin shouts from opposite sides of the room that rang out over the white noise of rumours. One belonged to Light and the other to Roger. Finally he factored these into his goal, getting the two separated and out of the hall. Matt's factored all these elements in a matter of seconds, his mind functioning with a precision and clarity he had only felt once before in his life, and he formulated a plan.

'Neo, Kiyomi.' He shouted, the two turned. 'Take Misa, get her out through the Kitchen exit and get her to BB's, explain everything to Linda, she'll hide you. Go now'

The two leapt into action immediately, pushing through the crowd and making a line for Misa. The crowd parted quickly under the fearsome gaze of Neo and the commanding shouts of Kiyomi. They took the distraught Misa under the arms and half dragged her toward the Kitchen exit, which was in a direction that was away from Roger and Light.

'Mel's, Near.' He said, gripping them tightly and making eye contact so he was certain he had their attention. 'I'll cause a distraction so they don't follow the girls. Take L and lead him out the main exit. Make sure he passes within eyeshot of Light so he follows you. Got it?'

'What's the distraction?' Mello asked hastily, no time for his usual expletives.

'You'll see.' Matt said. 'Go!'

Near and Mello set off towards L, taking him and moving him far more gently than the girls had done with Misa. Matt did not watch their progress, but instead the moment they had gotten a grip on L he turned and punched the nearest person square in the nose, bones crunching under his assault.

The victim was Adeline, Matt didn't approve of hitting women but it was too late now. The large French girl stumbled backwards, almost crushing a several students, her nose running with blood immediately. Before she looked up, Matt sidestepped, tapping on the shoulder of the student behind him who turned quickly to see who it was. Adeline looked up with enraged eyes that burned hotter than hell, saw the hapless student who had no idea what was coming, and ran for him like a bull at a red cape.

She bowled into student with an animalistic scream, tackling him to the ground and sending students stumbling in every direction with angry yells. Adeline punching his face repeatedly, shouting phrased in French that everyone was certain should never be translated. Other students quickly rallied to the side Adeline's victim, a dozen people pushing her off. However this did not stop the attack, as Adeline began to lash out at the victims would-be saviours, scratching them with her talon like fingernails, and elbowing people behind her. These people joined in fighting and before anyone knew it, over forty students were embroiled in a desperate brawl, no one certain as to who was the enemy.

Matt weaved quickly through the crowd, moving away from the fight and hoping that no one would know he had started it, counting on the fact that he wasn't wearing his signature goggles. He was both boyishly proud of the small-scale war he had caused, his inner psychopath revealing in the destruction, and horrified at the thought that he had hit a girl and that people might get seriously injured as a result of his brash actions. Matt pushed those thoughts to the side and instead made for the front door, if everything had gone according to plan, then Mello, Near, Light, and a very confused L, should be outside right now, wondering what all the noise inside was.

'The things I do for my idiot friends.' Matt muttered.

The crowd was thinning out rapidly now, and Matt increased his pace to a run, weaving between tables and watching as the straggling students and disinterested teachers finally decided that perhaps they should find out what was going on. Matt ignored them and instead ran through the doors with the lurid green 'exit sign above them, almost barged into a pair who were making out in the entrance hallway.

'Sorry.'

'The fuck you think your doing mate?'

'Sorry, sorry, your girlfriend seems lovely!'

Matt turned, letting the two return to their passionate lip-lock, and pushed through the exterior door, stumbling down a three old granite steps and into the night. The four boys were standing under an old street lamp, it's yellow glow washing them in a meagre half-light. Matt approached them quickly, he knew that teachers would be coming outside within the next thirty seconds, so they had to move quickly.

'Light.' Matt said. 'Go get you car, take it around to the alley behind BB's. You have to make sure teachers don't see you, so take the long way via Bridge Street, we'll meet you there.'

Light nodded and ran off toward the car park.

'Follow me.' Matt said to the others.

Matt took L by the arm and ran, Near and Mello keeping a steady pace, L being dragged behind them. They ran up the street and around the corner to the right, a moment later a group of teachers exited the Hall and shouted something along the lines off 'check for students' and 'no one else leaves'. Matt smiled, his spur of the moment plan had miraculously come together, and if they reached Beyond Birthday's, which was mid-way down the street they were on, they would be home free.

He could make out three silhouettes at the front door of the shop, and the much smaller silhouette of what must have been Linda, letting them in quickly. Linda then looked up the street, waiting anxiously with the door open, and hurried them in. Matt was grateful, not for the first time, for the unquestioning resolve of Linda. She didn't know what had happened but she helped them out none the less, doing far more than a patron should do for their customer, even if the customers were big buyers, showed up every Saturday without fail, and were also the patron's personal favourites.

As Linda shut the door behind them everyone finally could let out a sigh of relief. They all collapsed onto the nearest chair, completely exhausted, the last two minutes of intense action having stolen them of all their immediate energy. Neo returned down the stairs, Misa having been sent upstairs by her on arrival. Once again Matt was grateful for the imitative of his friends, he had completely forgotten to make sure that Misa and L didn't see each other.

He let out a long sigh of relief, _'how to fix this?'_

…

Neo and Kiyomi sat on a pair of chairs, waiting patiently as Misa sniffled, trying to clean herself up a bit. The room Linda had put them in upstairs was a beautifully old creature, a remanent of the 1940's. The entire building had once been a bar, it's copper fittings and vanished timber was still smoky in scent. In the room they were now in little had been changed, the furniture was all wooden and hand carved, scuffed around the edges from decades of use. The ensuite bathroom was cream in colour, veins of brown running through it's skin of old tiles.

Neo loved everything about the coffee shop and the small flat above, she could see why Linda had picked it. She had seriously considered asking Linda to take her on and work here, spending the rest of her days brewing coffee and hopefully one day inheriting the place, but Neo knew she wasn't built for that lifestyle.

Misa continued to dab at her face, tissue after tissue being pulled from the box and smeared with tears and make-up. She was a ghastly mess of mascara-run cheeks and blotchy red skin beneath her white foundation, all huddled onto the edge of the bed. For several minutes now she had been sobbing quite tears, the worst kind, but now she seemed to be finally calming down.

As Misa let out another self-pitying sniffle Kiyomi moved and sat next to her on the bed.

'Misa.' She began calmly. 'Tell us what happened.'

This it seemed, was to much for Misa, as she broke down into a whole new set of tears. Kiyomi pressed her for an answer but Misa shook her head, deflecting anything she tried to say.

'Misa, please, it's ok.' Kiyomi reassured, but Misa continued to silently rebuke any attempt to consol.

Neo sat watching the two, Kiyomi trying her best and Misa childishly ignoring her. This went on for over a minute, Kiyomi repeating statements along the lines of 'it's ok' and Misa repeatedly refusing her by not speaking. Neo began drumming her fingers on arms of her old chair in agitation, then she looked over the books on a nearby shelf, admiring their worn hardback spines. Finally she stood and looked out the window, the slinking outlines of students making their way back to the school splayed across the street.

'Misa, please.' Kiyomi pushed softly. 'You can trust us.'

Misa shook her head again and mumbled quietly.

'I can't.'

Neo snapped.

'Listen up Misa.' She shouted, standing and looming over Misa. Despite the fact that she was of an average height at best she was incredibly intimidating. 'You kissed L, it's a fact, it happened. I don't know why you did it but if you want support then you better start acting like it. Now can you please stop acting like an immature spoilt brat because that's attitude that got you here.'

When she had finished Neo returned to her chair, taking a book from the shelf and opening it with a puff of dust. Misa sat completely frozen, looking as if she had just been slapped in the face. She began to tremble, her arms and hands shaking but surprisingly she didn't cry.

'I know.' She whispered. 'I know. I'm so stupid, I just…'

'Yes?' Kiyomi asked kindly, playing the good-cop.

Misa's head sank as she whispered:

'…I just wanted him to act like he cared, to make him jealous.'

' _Make him jealous?_ ' Kiyomi thought. _'That was my idea, I wanted her to do this, to try and make him care and in doing so push him away.'_ Kiyomi realised that her plan had worked, that at this point in time she was almost certain that Light and Misa couldn't be further apart, that she had this moment to swoop in and claim Light as her own.

But something sat in her chest, a great mound of emotional bile that oozed within her _. 'Guilty.'_ Kiyomi thought, _'I'm feeling guilty, but why? This is what I wanted, he's so close, I could take him, so why guilt?'_ She clenched and unclenched her fist slowly, feeling the tension in her muscles build and release. Kiyomi had known where her manipulation of Misa would lead, she had felt no remorse before, but now, when the end was in sight, she was being slowed down.

' _I want him, I can take him when I choose.'_ Kiyomi thought angrily. _'But I couldn't do it, not when she's like this. Damn you Misa! You get everything I want, it's not fair!'_

'You need to apologise.' Neo said flatly.

Misa looked up, her eyes still bloodshot from all the crying. Kiyomi gave her a small glare that flickered across her face for a moment before her false sympathy returned. She thought no one had noticed, but Neo had.

'You think so?' Misa asked.

Neo nodded.

'You try to hard.' Neo put simply. 'Every has to be a grand spectacle, a story to tell, the best way to fix this is just to remove that. Don't make it about jealously and make it about remorse instead, it'll speak louder than any fancy display ever could.'

Misa thought about these words, trying to interpret them with her mind that was fogged by a maelstrom of emotions. Finally she nodded, accepting what Neo was offering. Neo stood, and beckoned Kiyomi to follow, which she did.

'We'll go and get Light.' Neo said.

'You won't stay?' Misa asked feebly.

'No.' Neo said. 'It has to just be between you two, ok?'

Misa nodded.

'Good. Now think about what you're going to say to him.'

With those words Neo exited, Kiyomi followed a moment later, not even bothering to give Misa a consoling smile. They walked down the hall a way, seemingly moving toward the old narrow stairwell, whose steepness made for a tiring ascent and a nerve wracking descent, every step having to be made with care as a slip on the small steps could be the end. But before they ever reached the stairs Neo turned on Kiyomi, blocking the hallway with her outstretched arms, fire as red as her jacket in her eyes.

'You happy?' Neo asked.

'With what?' Kiyomi replied, playing the character that didn't suit her at all, the ignorant one.

'You know very well what.' Neo spat.

' _She's holding nothing back tonight.'_ Kiyomi thought wryly. _'I've never seen her like this before, entering Miss Halloween, dancing with Matt, shouting down an irrational Misa and now confronting me.'_ It was a totally different Neo, Kiyomi wasn't sure whether she was in awe, terrified, or both.

'No.' Kiyomi admitted. 'I'm not happy.'

'Reaping what you sow I suppose.' Neo said. 'It was your idea to get Misa to make Light jealous.'

'Yes, I suppose it was.'

'Is it the result you wanted?' Neo asked.

'No.'

'Serves you right.'

'What's wrong with you?' Kiyomi asked incredulously, growing sick of Neo.

'Nothing.' Neo said. The changing the topic quickly asked. 'You still coming tomorrow?'

' _Of course.'_ Kiyomi realised. _'The week off, it's just the same as last year.'_

'Yes.' Kiyomi said. 'I'll be coming.'

'Good.' Neo said.

…

The boys waited downstairs silently, arrayed across their favourite chairs on their normal Saturday visits. But there was none of the friendly chatter that filled the air; instead the space was as quite as the night outside. Just as there was no ambient noise, so too was there no ambient light. Only three lamps had been switched on, most of the room remaining inky and dark. The soft light flickered like flames as people past it, but with none of the warmth.

' _Fire.'_ L thought. _'That's where this all started, with the most powerful fire ever to exist, Light Yagami.'_ L looked over at Light, not worrying about whether the brunette could see or not for even if he wasn't distracted, which he was, L knew his already dark eye sockets would seem sunken and hollow like the voids in a skull stripped of flesh. _'He burns anyone who draws close.'_

' _People love him, they're drawn in by his magnetism, I'm drawn in. Am I asking to be burnt?_ ' L considered this. He wasn't one todwell on feelings, but at this point in time they could not be ignored. Feelings were the crucible of chaos that had been unleashed tonight, Misa being driven to irrational madness by her own. _'Those people, the ones he draws close, they're unified by an adoration, a love for him, that kind of unquantifiable love that lies on the borders of romance and agape and lust. The question is do I love him like that?'_

L thought about this, weighing up every aspect even though he already knew the answer.

Mello sat watching Near. They were all still in their Halloween outfits which meant that Near's legs and midriff were still exposed, making him seem more vulnerable than usual. This was accentuated more so by the way he sat, curled up into a big armchair, his arms wrapped around his legs. Less than half an hour ago they had been seconds away from kissing, cementing a connection that had been slowly building for almost a month.

But now Near was withdrawn and distant from Mello, silently considering something, what? Mello couldn't tell. His storm eyes were wide, almost unblinking, but they provided none of their usual insight. For the first time Mello couldn't tell what Near was thinking, he couldn't gauge it at all, it was as if Near had cut a connection.

' _Just fucking talk to me Near.'_ Mello thought, no, pleaded. _'Just fucking say something, you can't go quiet on me now, damn you!'_ Mello wanted desperately to bring Near close again, what he was thinking about was secondary, he just didn't want to lose what they had gained tonight.

'Hey Near…' Mello said, breaking the longstanding silence, speaking the first words that came to mind. 'You ready for the week at Neo's?'

' _Are you fucking serious?'_ Mello thought. _'That was what I came up with, fucking shit that's what that was.'_ But the puzzled expression told a different story, and Mello held off the self-deprecation for a moment.

'Week at Neo's?' Near asked.

'Yeah.' Mello said. 'You do know that we get the next week off right?'

'Yes…'

'And that we're all going to Neo's family Lake House?'

'No one ever told me…' Near began.

'Well you're fucking coming with us.' Mello said, perhaps slightly too aggressively.

'Ok.' Near said, returning to his thoughts, shutting Mello out again.

' _Well fuck you too.'_ Mello thought. _'What the fuck is wrong with you? Don't fucking shut me out again you piece of shit, damn you.'_

Before Mello could let his anger spiral any further, he was interrupted by Neo and Kiyomi returning downstairs. They're expression weren't the sombre portrait the others had been expecting. Instead there was a strange tension in the air, like a quiet animosity between the two. While they couldn't be sure, the boys detected that this might not have anything to do with Misa.

'Light.' Neo said. 'Can you head up, she wants to talk to you.'

Light nodded, his expression guarded, and moved to leave.

'Neo.' Mello said.

'Yeah?'

'What time are we leaving tomorrow?'

'Nine.'

'Got that Near?'

Near nodded and then fled to his thoughts once more.

…

Light made his way upstairs, climbing the steep slope that was the narrow staircase. His footsteps echoed from underneath the hollow steps, the dull noise mirroring his every step. He ran his hands along the old railing, feeling the chipped and worn down wood, with every single imperfect it possessed.

Imperfection.

' _That's where this all started.'_ Light thought. _'Imperfection in people, every person is flawed and that's where all this starts.'_ Misa's imperfection, Light had long since decided, was that she sought validation from others, she could only find value in the approval and acceptance from others. It was simple stuff for Light to pick, he had figured out the imperfection in all his friends long ago. _'But what about me?'_ Light thought. _'I am imperfect, all people are, but why?'_

Light reached the door, stopped, took a breath, and opened it, entering the room. Misa sat on the edge of a very old bed, a nervous wreck by the looks of things. She was still dressed in her Harley Quinn outfit, but her makeup was wiped off and her hair was loose. It gave the appearance of rawness, Misa's normal beauty, with high worn pigtails and immaculate make up, was gone.

Light had to admit, he liked this look on her, without her usual bubbly demeanour, Misa looked more, human. No not human, she always was human, she looked more beautiful. Without her dresses, makeup, and hair, Misa looked stripped back to her most basic essence, the core of who she was, but she wore it with grace.

This wasn't Misa the girl, but Misa the woman.

'You wanted to speak to me?' Light said.

Misa nodded.

'Well?'

'Well…' She said slowly, her voice on the verge of cracking. 'I just wanted…'

She paused, brushed he hair out of her eyes, and turned to face Light. Her eyes were still bloodshot and glossy, as if she was about to burst into tears all over again.

'I just wanted to say I'm sorry.' Misa said. 'I'm sorry for everything.'

'Misa…'

'No let me finish.' She said, barely able to stop herself from crying. 'I am sorry. You invited me! And what do I do? I get upset at the sight of Adeline kissing you! And then stupid me, I think that you came onto her…

'Misa stop…'

'And rather than talk to you about it I just go and make your life miserable! I give you the cold shoulder, try to make you feel guilty and you didn't even know why!'

'Misa, Misa…'

'But that's not enough for me!' Misa cried, she had talked herself into tears. 'I try to make you jealous! I kissed L! Your best friend! I took advantage of him to try and make you like me. I'm horrible, I don't deserve anything, I'm…'

Light gave up on trying to interrupt her with words, she was on a role and the mix of self-loathing and tears meant she wasn't going to stop any time soon. So he stopped her a different way. He grabbed her around the shoulder, gripping her tight, providing a firmness that she desperately needed, pulled her close…

And kissed her.

Misa's eyes went wide, at first she tried to fight it, more out of shock then any actual need to distance herself. Slowly she closed her eyes and began to kiss back, passionately. His kisses were strong, but welcoming and comforting, tough but tender. Misa didn't know why, she was so jubilant, but she began to cry even harder, until her cheeks were shining wet. They remained there for a minute before Misa finally pulled away.

'But, but…' She began, wiping her eyes. 'Why?'

'Because.' Light said.

'Because?' Misa said. 'But I'm horrible, I used people, I used your best friend!'

'It doesn't matter.'

'But I'm nothing.' Misa said, turning away. 'I'm just a camellia blossom, no scent at all.'

'I don't believe that.' Light said, taking her hands in his.

'But what about Kiyomi?' Misa said.

'What about her?'

'She's smart, and pretty, and witty, she's everything you deserve!'

'Yes.' Light said. 'She is perfect for me, you're right. Logically speaking there couldn't be a better pairing, except maybe for L.'

'But like that would happen.' Misa said, with hiccuping laugh.

'Exactly.' Light said. 'So then Kiyomi it would seem is perfect, the ideal pairing, a divine pairing, perfect in every sense. But I just chose you.'

'Why?'

'Because you're not perfect.' Light said.

Misa smiled, resisted the urge to cry again, and instead leaned over and kissed Light again, a soft momentary kiss, rather than a long a passionate one.

'We can't tell them.' Misa said.

Light sighed, she was right.

'It'll break her.' Misa said.

'So you think we should pretend?' Light asked.

'For the time being, yes.' Misa said with a surprising level of conviction.

'Ok.' Light said.

…

Near walked through the night, the cold chill on his exposed skin making goose bumps run up his arms. Misa and Light had returned downstairs, they seemed to have reached a tenuous accord, a mutual cease-fire. Near couldn't put his finger on it, but the anger didn't seem real for some reason, but he was too distracted to put any thought into it.

Everyone had decided that it was probably best that they return to school in two groups, Light driving, Misa walking. Neo had volunteered to walk with Misa, it wasn't safe to be out so late by oneself. Near had also put his hand up to walk and assured Mello that he didn't need to come as well, Near just needed some space to think.

Now he walked a few meters behind Neo and Misa, who talked quietly. He silently observed the sleeping town. In the pale moonlight the town seemed ghostly and lifeless, the leaf-less trees were a gothic white, glowing in the lunar ambience. The roads and buildings were covered in an inky darkness, absorbing the moonlight and giving nothing back, contrasting against the footpath which shimmered with the first coats of frost.

Near loved the town like this. During the day it had an inviting warmth yes, but it was so vibrant and loud, full of people hurrying here and there in a busy bustle. Now it was serene and still, like a moment caught in time, that he was just walking through, observing.

' _That moment.'_ Near thought. _'A second away from sharing our first kiss together, my first kiss ever, interrupted by the kiss of others. Stopping Mello and I from confirming a relationship, if we had been given another three seconds we would be together, official for all the school to know, L and Misa may not have kissed, and we would have been the drama of the evening. But instead we were stopped.'_

And since then that was the thought that had been dominating Near's mind, the concept that a few more seconds could have changed the direction of the evening completely. And now he had run away, drawn inwards in consideration, controlled by a feeling that he wanted nothing to do with.

Fear.

He didn't want to admit it, but he knew it to be the truth, he was afraid of being in a relationship with Mello. Tonight he had completely lost himself, being drawn into the moment, feeling the closer to Mello than he had ever felt before in that moment. And then, he had been pulled back out again, as if he had been given a warning call before he did something incredibly foolish.

' _I love him? I think so, no, I know so.'_ Near thought as he walked. _'Then why am I afraid? Why?'_ Near had many theories, he had thought over and around the topic, assailing it from different angles as best he could. Ultimately he didn't know why he was afraid, but he was.

' _I want to be with him, I love him. But I'm afraid. It's so idiot!'_ Near was angry with himself, he knew this is what he wanted, he had been striving for it, he wanted to make it work with Mello, but he was afraid and he knew he couldn't make that work.

He looked around the town, nothing moved, everything lifeless and still, like a second of time saved until the rise of the sun. That was him and Mello. That dance had been their moment, their second frozen in time, where everything had seemed perfect. But now the sun had risen, and the second had past. Near wanted to hold onto it, to savour and swim through it, to bask in all the joy it bought him, but it was gone.

Instead he was left here, unsure, uncertain, afraid of the future.

That was it.

He was afraid of the future for him and Mello.

He had never experienced this before, true intimacy with another person. The only love he had known until now was maternal love, and that had been false, his mother hadn't ever loved him. And now he was faced with the prospect of a future with someone who truly cared for him, something he had longed for.

And he was afraid.

It seemed so unfair, after everything, years of life without anyone else, the first chance he got was being damaged by his fear. He wanted to say things to Mello, to fix this, but he didn't know how. He wanted to be in love with Mello, for things to be perfect, but he didn't know how. That moment had passed and now he was living in a disenchanted present, and he didn't know what to do.

He just didn't know.

…

The following morning everyone had arisen early, bags under their bleary eyes, and not nearly well rested enough after the night before. Regardless they had all gotten ready to leave, packing for the week ahead at Neo's family Lake House. By Nine in the morning they had left, Neo's family having sent a pair of drivers to take them, and everyone settled in for a few hours of driving, each with thoughts to occupy their minds.

Misa thought of the night before, how impossible it all seemed, how it had to have been a dream, a strange fantasy brewed up by a mind bubbling with physical and emotional exhaustion. But when Light had smiled at her that morning, she had known it was real. She felt giddy.

Light thought about Misa, about what he had done the night before. After a month of competition between the two girls, after everything, he had picked her. He felt like he was going crazy, a good crazy, an amazing crazy. But something he had said the night before nagged at him, 'there couldn't be a better pairing, except maybe for L.' Why had he said that, it made no sense, L was his closest friend Light had never considered L in that way, and besides Light was straight. Sure he'd had the odd man crush, but he was straight, so why was the thought dominating all others. ' _Stop it.'_ He told himself. _'You chose Misa, that's it.'_

Kiyomi thought of Misa, and how she had completely destroyed any chance she had with Light. It was ideal, Light hated imperfection and Misa had proved herself as imperfect as they come, he would never choose her. All Kiyomi had to do was wait, Light would eventually choose her, she had won. _'The love of Chang'e and Hou Yi is the strongest of all…'_

L thought of Light as well. He didn't know how he was supposed to go about this, if at all. Maybe it was better for him to wait for his feelings to subside, keep a strong friendship and never risk destroying because of a stupid flight of fancy. But what if he did move? How would he go? What should he say? The thought was incredibly frightening and had an appeal that was even stronger. He vowed to asked Matt about it.

Matt was sceptical. The drama with Misa had solved itself to easily, the others seemed willing to accept this as truth but not he. There was no way that a simple apology had fixed everything, Light wasn't that easy to win over so something else had to have happened. But what? Matt didn't know, but he knew he had to find out, if only to prevent something like last night from happening again.

Mello thought of Near. The albino hadn't become any less distant, if anything he had become more so. He had taken a different car to Mello, he hadn't said a word to him this morning. Mello was at breaking point, he felt as if he had gotten so close to having Near, only for it to all be ripped out from under him, and the worst part was that he didn't know why it had happened.

Near thought of Mello. He hadn't known what to say to blonde, he felt that he should apologize for the night before, but when he saw him Near had lost the words. Instead he had distanced himself again, running away, like always, it was pathetic, he had never run away from any problem that wasn't emotional. He felt like an immature child, but when it came to emotions, that's all he really was. He tried to think of how to explain to Mello, but he just didn't know how.

Neo's thoughts weren't fixed on the events of last night or any of her friends. Rather she thought of events from eight years ago, half a lifetime for her, and the worst day of her life. She loved the Lake House, it was a treasury of some of her best memories, but also he worst. And so, like always, she felt mixed up inside.

After two and a half hours of travelling they arrived at the Lake House.

It was a beautiful two story brick building, rustically charming. It looked out over a glassy lake, it's water a mirror for the cloudy sky above. The whole locale was isolated, a small sliver of civilization housed in an expanse of nature, surrounded on all sides by a forest. It was just like Neo and the others remembered from last year, nothing seeming to have changed.

Neo led them up to the front door. The frame of the door was made out of tree logs, their surface rough and un-sanded just as they had been when they were cut down. The only change that had been made was an engraving above the door, it had been carved a long time ago, it read:

'Thus Kindly I Scatter'

Neo smiled at her own handy work.

'Hello, mother.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: So after the everyhing that happened in the last chapter I tried to keep this one more low key_ _… and kind of failed. I hadn't originally intended for Misa and Light to kiss but I thought it might advance the story. AI felt like my writing quality had been dropping in recent updates but I think I managed to do a fairly good job with this chapter! Anyway, I'm rambling now, so please leave a review!_


	24. Chapter 21: White Rose

_A/N: Well folks here's the next chapter, enjoy! (Also please don't kill me for making Light and Misa hook up! The story isn't finished and there's still thing to happen there, but Spoilers so I can't tell)_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

Neo led everyone into and around the Lake House, providing a quick tour for Near and a reminder of the location of all the faculties for the others. The building was massive, with over a dozen bedrooms, each with an ensuite, two patios, three living rooms, a game room, and an outdoor boathouse. Despite its gargantuan size the building felt cosy and inviting, the lights were drowsy and yellow and there were big tartan blankets everywhere inside. The Lake House was built out of massive granite stones and the interior was decorated with log furniture. This made it seem as if the Lake House was an extension of the nature outside, rearranged but essentially the same, rather than an unnatural intrusion.

Not for the first time Near wondered about Neo's family and just what they did for a living. They seemed to insanely rich, Neo's unimpeded spending and the size of the Lake House were testaments to that. Neo had never mentioned her family at all, and Near had been reluctant to ask about it. However when he had questioned Mello about it in one of their 'Assessment sessions' he had known as little as Near, saying that, just like Near, Neo had never brought it up and he had never asked.

'Is there anything else you need before we leave?' One of the drivers asked after Neo had showed them around.

'No, see you in a week.' Neo said.

The driver nodded and returned to his car, a second later their engines rumbled into life and they left down the dirt driveway.

'Is it just us?' Near asked, slightly alarmed.

'Yeah.' Neo said. 'Something wrong with that?'

'No.' Near said defensively. 'I just thought there might be adult supervision.'

Matt laughed and ruffled Near's hair fondly.

'Adult supervision?' He said. 'We're sixteen, we're practically adults! Besides we've proved that we're mature, right Near?'

'I'm dubious.' Near whispered.

'Oh.' Neo said. 'We're fine. If you ignore the swearing, drinking, pranking and all that other stuff that is.'

'Is that all?' Near asked with a laugh.

'Aw lighten up kiddo.' Matt said. 'It's not like we're going to have that much sex.'

'Sex?' Near squeaked, sounding slightly alarmed despite his attempts to conceal it.

'I'm kidding.' Matt said, then added with a wink. 'Or am I?'

Near, and from out of the albinos eyesight, Mello rolled their eyes in perfectly synchronised rotations. Matt smiled cheekily at both and neither of them, getting a loud sigh from Near. But from Mello, much to Matt's astonishment, he got a raging glare. The strange thing about it was that he was almost certain it wasn't directed at himself, but at the smallest member of their group, who was standing in front of him with a lock of snowy hair wrapped around his pale finger.

Everyone chuckled quietly and scattered to their respective rooms to unpack and get settled for the week ahead. Matt unpacked his clothes quickly, having only taken a pair of stripped board shorts and one spare change of clothes along for the trip. He was relying on there being some kind of washing machine somewhere because otherwise his clothes were going to be disgusting by the end of the week.

After this was completed Matt crashed onto the single armchair in his relatively barren room. He thought it strange that the room was so barren considering the incalculable wealth that Neo's family seemed to posses. He decided that they probably had their reasons for keeping the room as minimalist as it was, not that he would know of course. He had never actually met Neo's family before. He had brought up the topic twice with Neo in the past but she became so sarcastically defensive and threatening that he had vowed never to mention it again. He liked his body whole rather than, as Neo had so eloquently put, 'shipped off to Somalia in four thousand separate tin cans.'

So instead of dwell on the speakable topic of Neo's parentage, Matt instead elected to take advantage of the few spare minutes he had to pull out his PSP and game. He wanted to make the most of the time as he knew that if one of the others caught him they'd claim he 'should be enjoying the scenery' rather than 'wasting his goddamn fucking time' (that was Mello talking).

Only a few minutes into his game, however, Matt found himself too distracted to continue, falling victim to even the simplest of enemies in 'Crash Bandicoot'. He put down the device and looked out the window, over the glassy lake and up into the hills covered in skeletal trees. Something was bugged Matt, scratching away at the edge of his subconscious. It was the way Mello had sneered at Near, it was all wrong.

' _It just doesn't make sense.'_ Matt thought. _'Why would Mels be angry at Near? After last night at the Halloween Ball as well…'_ Matt scried his memories, hoping to divine an insight into what was running through his friends mind. _'I know he's moody but this would be a whole new level even for Mels.'_ Try as he might, Matt couldn't identify the factor. He felt as if it were obvious but unreachable, like a TV remote just beyond ones grasp. Just as with a TV remote, there was really only one way to solve the problem, move.

Matt left his room and began searching the house for Mello. The blonde was nowhere to be found. Admittedly the house was huge and his deductive skills left something to be desired, especially when compared with his friends. But Mello was proving elusive, even, he imagined, for super detective Light, methodical logician L, or the uncannily astute Near.

' _If anyone should be able to guess where he is it would be Near.'_ Matt thought, considering involving him, but deciding that until he knew what Mello was thinking it was best to leave him out. That thought left Matt feeling, much to his own surprise, slightly jealous. Until a little over a month ago it was he who had the best understanding of Mello, the closest bond, and the greatest intimacy, purely platonic of course. But now Near had swooped in and claimed all those titles for himself, even Matt knew it. He was happy for both, Mello was calmer and happier and Near was far more confident and outgoing (not that he wasn't still a complete introvert, but he could at least hold a conversation).

But Matt couldn't help but feel the bitter taste of jealousy linger on his tongue. It was just the knowledge that they were both closer with each other than either was with him. They were outgrowing him. Without them, Matt didn't know what he was. He had always played big brother to them, providing comfort for the lonely Near, rationality for the angry Mello, and advice for the head-over-heels in love pair of them. And he knew that he would always be needed for those roles in their life to some capacity.

Just never to the same degree, not as long as they had each other. Matt thought it strange, he hadn't had this worry when Mello had dated Sophie last year, the fear that he wouldn't ever get his friend back in quite the same way. But with Near he knew, he had a gut feeling, that once together with Mello they would last forever, there was something intrinsically right about them.

The moment they cemented their relationship, made it official and committed, he would become secondary, less crucial to their lives. Matt just didn't know how to cope with that, he wasn't Neo, he couldn't live in ambivalent solitude, he needed people to need him. For the first time in a long time his thoughts began to drift back to his brother, Kris. He missed him everyday, and prayed to Gods he didn't believe in every night that he would turn up alive one day. But right now he was being stuck with a sadness about Kris he hadn't felt in a while, he'd been deferring on those feelings for so long and the bank was coming to collect the loan.

Matt pushed those feelings to the side for now, knowing they would come back with even more force this evening, and instead focused his efforts on finding Mello.

The blonde wasn't anywhere. Not in the kitchen, ransacking it for any chocolate he could find, not even cooking chocolate. He wasn't in any of the lounge rooms, lazing about like a baron in a castle. He wasn't in the games room at a pinball machine, trying to beat the high score Matt had set last year. He wasn't even on one of the patio's, breathing in air so cold that your lungs felt as if they were frozen. He wasn't anywhere.

Matt stood on the patio, about to give up, when he heard a sound. A sound that only Mello ever made.

A steady beat of snapping bites.

'So you did find the chocolate.' Matt called to where ever Mello was sitting.

'Fuck off Matt.' Mello called back, his voice emanating from underneath the patio.

Matt descended the well crafted steps to find Mello sitting on a roughly carved bench, hidden away by the side of the house. The blonde looked half frozen to death, even though he was clad in his biggest leather jacket with the softest fur lining. Matt wished he was wearing something more substantial than a long sleeved shirt and his own fur vest, but he knew he could make a good twenty minutes before he had to go back inside.

'Why're you out here Mel's?' Matt asked.

'I could ask you that.' Mello remarked, shuffling over to make room for the red head.

'I'm out here looking for you, you egg.' Matt said. 'But it would seem you're just waiting to catch hypothermia.'

'Fuck off, you're not my mum.'

'Nah, I'm too sexy.'

The two threw a series of playful punches at each other, revitalizing their bodies with warmth, before calming back down again. Matt lit himself a cigarette and Mello pulled out another bar of chocolate.

'So what's wrong with Near?'

'Nothing.' Mello said, perhaps a little quickly.

'Don't lie, I can tell you're having a problem with him.'

Mello scowled and took another loud bite out of his chocolate. The candy snapped from the block loudly between his teeth, the noise was jarring against the silence of the hibernating forest around them. Matt grinned inwardly, after all this time Mello still didn't know that he ate chocolate more loudly when he was upset, he was such an idiot.

'I'm guessing.' Matt said. 'That you haven't argued with him about it yet, cause otherwise you would have ranted to me about it ages ago.'

'True.'

'So, what's wrong?'

'Well that's the fucking problem.' Mello said. 'I don't know.'

'How do you mean?'

'He's just become distant and reserved...' Mello began.

'Have you met Near?' Matt interrupted.

'More so than usual.'

'Ok.'

'I just don't know why.' Mello said. 'We almost kissed last night Matt, we were moments away, and now he won't even speak to me.'

Matt let out a thoughtful hum. Mello waited for him to say something, eating his chocolate loudly. When it became apparent that the red head wasn't going to say anything he burst out with:

'You don't think he's not interested?'

Matt laughed uncontrollably at that thought. Mello looked slightly admonished.

'Mels.' Said Matt. 'Sometimes you're the biggest git there is.'

'Thanks.' Mello snapped.

'No really, he picked you for his study partner, let you get closer to him than anyone before, hell, he learnt how to dance and wore an outfit he was clearly uncomfortable in to the Halloween Ball, and I'll tell you, it sure as hell wasn't for me.'

'So?' Mello pouted, his tone that of a small child trying to ignore the obvious.

'So.' Matt said like a parent. 'He obviously cares about you. A lot. He wouldn't have done all that for someone he didn't like in that way.'

'I suppose.'

'The kid is reserved, so what? That's who he is. Give him space today, talk to him about it tomorrow, shout at him, rant at me and Neo, and then go and fix it and kiss him like you should have done last night if I hadn't interrupted you. Sorry about that.'

'You think it'll be ok?' Mello asked hopefully.

'I know it will Mel's. But please just get together soon.'

'Why?'

'Cause I want to move on to helping out L.'

'With Light?'

'Ya-huh.'

'Let me know when you get started on that, I wanna see that happen.'

Matt laughed again, this time Mello gave him a look of bewilderment.

'You'll probably be a little busy with Near at that point.' Matt said and then added. 'If ya know what I mean.'

'You'd watch if we let you.'

'True.' Matt admitted shamelessly.

Mello gave him shove, Matt wasn't prepared for it and fell straight of the bench and hard onto the ground. He quickly recovered and shoved Mello back. They quickly devolved into a wrestling match, behaving like ten-year-old boys at a sleep over, albeit with far more crass insults than 'Your mum.' They stopped only when Kiyomi came out and told them that there was lunch, giving them as disapproving glare. They untangled and went back inside, but Matt wished the moment could have lasted just a minute longer, just so he could treasure their friendship before it was changed forever by Near.

…

Lunch was hastily made sandwiches with an abundance of ever so slightly out of date tomato and cabbage, plastic cheese, and cheap meat. The food, much to nobodies surprise, had been a combined effort of Neo and L, and left everyone fed but thoroughly under whelmed. Had Neo not been one of the cooks somebody (probably Mello) might have complained, but everyone was really a bit too tired for a lunch time shouting match after their early morning start and car journey.

Their lunch was held around a wide circular table fashioned out the trunk of a wide tree, part of which had been cut into a disk to form the table-top. There was polite chatter which quickly built into a heated debate over 'The best young adult book series', nobody seeming to be able to come to a consensus with anyone else. Matt loved Harry Potter, but Misa adored Twilight. Mello on the other hand was more of a Hunger Games fan and made that fact abundantly clear, Neo said they were all being pathetic as Lord of the Rings was, in her highly held opinion, better than all of them. Light liked Divergent, but Mello was quick to point out that it was a 'Hunger Games rip off'. L preferred Maze Runner but didn't make much of an argument; his heart wasn't really in it. Near liked, much to humour of everyone else, Deltora Quest, but whilst he tried to argue for it nobody really took him seriously.

It was not a quite lunch.

But despite al their furious arguing, it was what was being left unsaid that told the real story.

Near looked smaller than usual, as if he was being crushed under some metaphysical weight, burdening him. He cast glances at the agitated Mello, but the blonde didn't notice. The blonde would cast glances back at Near, but the albino had always looked away, so that by the end of the half hour lunch, they had not actually exchanged a single look that had been noticed by the other.

Neo and Matt exchanged glances every time Near or Mello missed the other by a split second, increasing extreme expressions of disbelief rising on their faces. With every missed glance Neo's expression tightened, a scowl that was furious even by her standards emerging. Matt was equally frustrated with the two, but his focus was given over to another, namely, L.

Thw raven haired boy was starring at Light nervously, barely touching his food, and jumping every time the brunette spoke to him. 'He's such a dating Virgin.' Matt thought ruefully, but then realised L was probably a virgin in every regard So the previous thought really held little brevity. Instead Matt analysed the situation stealthily, assessing all the possible ways he could get L and Light to date.

Mello low and Near had been easy for Matt because they had essentially taken the first steps themselves by agreeing to be assessment partners, all Matt had to do was given th occasional shove or reassuring talk. L and Light however were a totally different kettle of fish. L was clearly head over heals for Light, but Light was harder to gauge.

The brunette seemed almost disinterested with everyone at the table, he didn't show it, but Matt could sense it in his ever so slightly aloof voice and could see signs in his relaxed and disengaged expression. No, he didn't seem very interested in anyone at the table, that was, Matt noticed, except for Misa. Light and Misa barely spoke to each other at all, but in the heated debate that was going on Matt found this very curiouts After the events of the Halloween Ball he thought they would have taken any chance to go for each other's throat, but instead they were practically docile.

That was except for the smirking.

He knew new that they thought no one had noticed, but Matt saw. If he hadn't known any better he would have sworn they were in a relationship, the whole atmosphere around them had changed. But the idea of them dating didn't make any sense, they had they had been foes for almost two weeks now.

 _'But if they are together then that would complicate things greatly with my plans for L.'_ Matt didn't know why he wanted L and Light to be together but he felt a drive in him to make it happen. He knew it may have been just because his last pet project with Near and Mello was reaching a close, and so he was searching for a new pair to match. L just seemed... worthy of Light, Matt didn't know what the criteria was or why Misa and Kiyomi didn't qualify, but to him that's how it was.

He decided to watch Misa and Light closely, keeping an eye out for any sign that they were in a relationship. If they were it was going to complicate things, Matt knew that, he also knew he could figure something out, he always did.

If Matt had followed Light or Misa after lunch he would have gotten concrete proof of their relationship, as the two both slinked off to Lights room and within seconds of entering and closing the door were a tangle of of arms and legs held together with a tight lip lock. The two ran their hands through each other's hair and up and down each other's bodies, feeling every curve and muscle. They took delight in the unsteadiness of the others breathing and the way their muscles tensed and relaxed.

At first Light was in control, bombarding Misa with kisses that ran from soft and tender to ferociously vigorous and back again within he space of thirt seconds. He relished the way that she couldn't catch her bearing, how every moment was a surprise and she verbalised it with giggles and satisfied moans. Her lips tasted sweet, like Strawberries. He took in the taste, savouring the way it dripped off his lips after every kiss, a tantalising taste he couldn't get enough of.

In the split second Light let his thoughts drift Misa fought back, wrestling dominance in the situation from him. She pushed him catching him off guard and walked him backwards until he was leaning against the wall with nowhere to go. He gasped and she grinned inwardly at the power she possessed. Misa kissed Ligt slowly, distracting him while she took a firm grip on each of his hands and pushed them against the wall, until he was pinned to the spot with nowhere to go. She pulled away and gave him a sly grin at which he looked both alarmed and intrigued. Misa then began to moved downwards, kissing Lights body as she went, first his chest, then his abdomen, then his navel, slowly working her way toward...

There was a knock at the door.

Misa pulled away and opened her mouth to gasp, but Light covered it quickly, beckoning her to remain silent with his free hand. She nodded, her breathing calming, but when there was another set of knocks on the door she jumped in fright, her breath becoming more erratic.

'Light answer this door before I break it down.' Neo called with a fake sweetness from the other side.

Light that quickly and beckoned Misa to hide in the cupboard. She nodded obediently and after wiping her lipstick off his mouth and giving his hair a quick pat down, she moved, hiding herself away silently. Neo bombarded the door with her most aggressive knocks yet and Light sighed and opened it, letting her in.

'Took you long enough.' Neo said, waltzing in like she owned the room. Light was mildly annoyed at her arrogant ownership, but then remembered that he family actually did own the room and held back his complaint. 'What were you doing, hiding a body?'

Light laughed nervously, Neo gave him a dead serious stare. Lights agitation increased and his laugh died before it ever fully e tied his mouth. Neo's glare intensified and for a moment Light worried that she knew and he'd have to barter with her, something that no one in their right mind would want to do with Neo.

Then she laughed, her expression lifting so that it was her normal scowl, and Light let himself breathe a sigh of relief.

'Im kidding.' Neo said. 'I just came to ask if you wanted to go for a trek into the forest with me?'

'I'll pass.' Light said, hoping it wouldn't anger Neo, but much to his relief she shrugged and said. 'All good, I'll make Near go with me instead. See you later.'

With that Neo left the room, closing the door behind her. Light listened as her footsteps echoed up the hall and away. It was only when he felt that she was out of ear shot that he let himself breath a sigh of relief. As he sighed Misa pushed out of the cupboard, falling gracelessly onto the floor with a thump. Light tried not to laugh and failed, Misa returned with a pout.

'That was close.'

'Yep.' Light agreed.

He sat down next to the blonde and took her smaller hand in his, squeezing it affairmingly. Misa rested her head on Lights shoulder, feeling his entire body rise and fall slightly with each breath, it was calming.

'Maybe we should just be honest with them.' Misa said.

'Thats a sudden change after last night, weren't you worried about Kiyomi.'

'She'll be fine.' Misa said. 'I was just scarred of what she might do or say.'

'And now?'

'I don't care.' Said Misa honestly. 'We should tell them.'

'Not yet.' Light said.

'Why not?'

'I'm worried about how some people will take it.'

'Kiyomi?'

'L, actually.'

'Why are you worried about L?'

Light considered how to answer her, the truth was he didn't know why he was worried. He just had a feeling, a intuition, a gut instinct, that L wouldn't take the news well. Light just knew that for whatever reason L would be hurt, no, crushed by the news. He felt a sudden attachment to the raven haired boy, a protective instinct dominating him. It was almost head strong as his affection for Misa right now, a dwelled within the same place within his body and heart, though he couldn't fathom why.

'Just don't tell anyone yet, ok?'

Misa answered his question with a kiss. Light took this for a yes and kissed her back, just to make sure she knew he'd gotten the message.

...

'Near put some shoes on, we're going for a walk.'

'Where to?'

'Theres a track that runs around the property, it's an hour walk and I want someone to come with me.'

'Why me?'

'Because you'll keep your giddamn mouth shut.'

'So I'm meant to be silent the whole time?'

'Yes. Is that a problem?'

Near considered this.

'No.'

'Good. Let's go.'

Near barely had enough time to get his shoes on as he scrambled out the door and after Neo, who was already walking at quite a pace. He cast a backward glance at the closing door and felt a twinge of guilt, he knew he should talk to Mello, but he just couldn't right now. Near glanced over the words engraved into the door frame, 'thus kindly I scatter.'

 _'What does that mean?'_ Near wondered. He knew he could asked Neo about it and find out, but he guessed the no talking full was already in effect so he was left to consider the words himself. _'Thus kindly I scatter... Scatter as in rose petals scattering? Roses the symbol of love? Is that what's happening to me? Is my love for Mello scattering in the face of fear? It would make sense for Neo to engrave a quote with such a cynical meaning as well...'_

Near struggled to keep up, Neo setting a fast pace through the woods. Instead of talking Near took in his surroundings, the skeletal leafless trees that loomed over the path with limbs that were gangly and gaunt. The air was cold but muggy, making his lungs feel as if they were overfilled with air and pressing against his chest. At first Near was freezing and wished he had taken the time to get the metallic looking jacket the others had bought for him rather than his comfy but thin white jumper, with the words 'Super Duper' etched on the front in icy blue block writing.

Afte a while however, Near began to feel warmth run through his body, until he was on the edge of breaking out into a sweat. It was at this point that Neo slowed down to a more comfortable pace and Near understood she had been going the pace she had just to get them warm. He mentally thanked her and hope that she somehow got the message.

They walked on in complete silence, it was one of the things that hey appreciated about each other, the fat that they didn't feel the need to constantly talk. Near cast his mind back and remembered it was for that reason they had ever met, Neo just walking into his room like she owned it and sitting on his bed in silence, taking refugee in the tranquil burrow that was his room. It had been from that silence that he had earned his nickname, 'Near' from her as well. He realised that they had shared a multitude of such intimate moments, more than he could count all contained in just over a month.

Near wondered whether in another version of reality it would be Neo rather than Mello he was on the verge of forming an offical romantic relationship with. Logically it made the most sense, they complete enter each other so well, it almost seemed strange that it was Mello he had wound up with, rather than the girl next to him. But Near had learned that love wasn't logical, so while Neo made the most sense, it was Mello he yearned for.

 _'Thus kindly I scatter... Is that how we find love, we scatter our petals and choose the one who picks one up? If we can scatter into labor be can we scatter back out? Is that all love is, just a wind that we get caught in, pulling us toward people, leaving us there long enough to care, and then dragging us away again with another gust? It's so illogical, but love is illogical...'_

Near thought about it, those words and their meaning, it made sense in one regard and explained why he felt so afraid. But that was just it, it wasn't some omnipotent force that was dragging him away from Mello, it was fear. He feared losing him, their relationship not working and being forever hurt, and by fearing it he was allowing it to manifest. His fear was a dark mass that sat within him, feeding off itself and growing in strength and vigorous and power, and he more it grew the further Near felt from Mello. The further he felt he more he fear, he more he feared the more the mass grew, and the more it grew the more he further he felt from Mello.

It was illogical in every sense to let the mass take hold of him, but love it would seem, was illogical.

He and Neo were reaching the end of the path. They approached what appeared to be a fork in the road, but in fact it was the same road, one path leading out, and other the way they had just gone, looping around. Before they went back inside they sat on a little bench that had been constructed at the beginning on the track. It was only there that Near noticed how tired the walk had made him, his feet ached and his knees moaned weakness.

Still, from their spot on the bench, looking over the sanctuaryof warmth that was the Lake House and the icy water beyond, it's surface as cool as fresh morning frost, Near couldn't help but feel alive. The fresh air filled his lungs and he felt as if he were reawakening from a long sleep, his body reinvigorated. He was exhausted but he felt an urge to walk the track again, back the way they'd come, just to see if the skeletal forest looked different going the opposite way.

'So.' Said Neo, lifting the no talking rule with her words. 'What's wrong?'

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Yes you do you liar, now tell me before I kill you and bury your body out here.'

Near thought about how to answer her, really it wasn't difficult at all, he'd just spent the last hour contemplating it. But the idea of admitting it, admitting he was weak, to Neo of people, gave him a pause for thought.

'How did you...' He began, tying to get more time to think.

'I just do. Now tell me.'

Near sighed, no point running for it, he knew he ran all too often.

'Im afraid.'

'Of what?'

'Not being good enough for him, not being able to make it work, of failing him.'

Near said the words quickly, Huey practically spilled from his mouth, gushing like water from a high pressure tap. He waited for Neo to say something, to give advice or hit him with a scathing remark. Instead, much to his confusion, she laughed. Near looked at her confused.

'You think you're not good enough?' Neo asked between laughs.

Near nodded, feeling slightly hurt by her laughter.

'Near, for a genius, you're the biggest idiot I know. Of course you're good enough for him, course you'll make it work.'

'How do you know?'

'Because you care enough to put him first. You picked him as your assessment partner, you adapted your lifestyle to suit him better, hell, you wore a dress to the Halloween Ball and learnt to slut drop. For him! You won't screw up the relationship. You won't fail him.'

'Think so?'

'Your a little white rose Near.'

'That doesn't answer my question.'

'In Japanese culture it's a symbol of innocence in love, and if that's not you I don't know what is.'

'Neo...'

'Near, I don't think so, I know so.'

In that moment Near felt an urge to hug her and thank her for everything she said, but that wasn't how their relationship worked. Instead he showed his gratitude by staying silent and marvelling at the view, sharing the moment, letting the unsaid words speak louder than anything he could have said or done.

'So what should I do?'

'Explain everything to him, tomorrow.'

'Everything?'

'So he can understand how you feel, so he thinks you're being honest with him.'

'Tomorrow?'

'So he has time to calm down today, he's probably a little bit angry.'

They returned to their silence, Near thought about the plan, it seemed logical and sound, he decided to act on it. Neo stood to go back inside, but Near stopped her, grabbing her sleeve quickly. She turned to him, surprised, but sat, tightened her scarf purposefully. Near wanted to ask her something, he just didn't know how, and felt very awkward. He tried to find the words, but they evaded him, slipping off his tongue like sand between fingers.

'Neo...'

'Yes Near...'

'Can I ask for your help with something, nobody else will do.'

'Ok, what?'

Near opened his mouth to say it, but the words stopped before he could say them, jamming on his tongue. He swallowed, and forced them out, saying very quickly.

'Whenwegetbackintotownwillyouhelpmebuysomedresses?'

'I'm sorry what?'

'When we...' Near repeated, slowly this time. 'Get Back into town, will you help me buy some dresses?'

Neo was stunned at the request. She fought back an urge to laugh, it just seems to unreal. Near wanting to buy dresses? Had he enjoyed actually enjoyed cross-dressing for the Halloween Ball? So much so that he wanted to own women's clothing so he could do it again? Matt owned dresses for cosplay, but this was different, this was just Near wanting regular women's clothes to wear because he had enjoyed it, or so it would seem. Near was going very red and Neo decided to have pity on him.

Neo decided to be delicate in answering him, he was still much younger than her and discovering himself. He held himself with calm and poise but Neo knew that he was uncertain, all people his age were, and their conversation had proven this. If she put him down now or made a cruel joke it would hurt him, crush he even, and he was one of the few quiet people she had in her life. Neo was not willing to throw that away so brashly.

'This would be for Mellos sake of course.'

'Of course.' Near said, verbally seizing the line that Neo had offered with so much embarrassment fuels haste it was adorable.

Neo gave him one of her rare smiles.

'Sure I will.'

'Thank you.'

Neo knew that there were two levels of gratitude in his words, a thanks for her help and a thanks for her kindness.

'Now let's got back inside, it's freezing out here.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well I have to confess I'm really happy with how that chapter turner out, I feel like it's some of the best writing ive done in this fic. It was also a lot quietter and I think that was kind of needed after how full on the last few chapters had been. But anyway, please leave your thoughts and feedback in a review and stay tuned for the next chapter!_


	25. Chapter 22: Red Rose

_A/N: I'm soooo sorry about how long this update took! My family went on a holiday and I had meant to write this up while I was away but I was too tired! Anyway please enjoy! And sorry again!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

The night was aglow with sky-hung jewels, each a glowing ember, threatening to be blown out by a wind, which would smother the flame with the clouds that encroached over the horizon. They were dark invisible, their presence only known because they hid that which should have been visible. They ate away at the brilliant sky, gobbling the stars and moving ever onwards.

All this however paled in comparison to the red moon. It sat low and close on the horizon, looking down on the earth through a window in the hungry clouds. Round, fat like a stone, and a dusty red, it dominated the view, stealing the attention away from everything else.

All this was reflected by the glassy like, the still water capturing the vast expanse above, containing the vast cosmos within the watery mirror.

Mello had climbed onto the roof of the lake house, ascending the steep terracotta prism. It was a difficult climb, the dead leaves, broken braches, and bird droppings making the steep slopping climb even more difficult. Somehow, though, he had managed. Clad in his thickest coat and armed with nothing but a determined attitude he climbed, sliding back three steps for every four that he took. Somehow though, his efforts paid off and he reached the top at the stroke of midnight, the grandfather clock in the living room bellowing so loudly that he heard it from where he was.

Mello sat up there for hours, watching as the night drift by. He picked out all the constellations, having long since memorised them all, their names, and the names of every star that made up the greater wholes. Tracing them out with his finger, Mello muttered each name under his breath:

'Leo, Leo Minor, Draco, Indus, Sagittarius…'

Sagittarius. That gave Mello a moment for pause, a wry grin. It was his star sign, being born on December 13th, 1989, made him a Sagittarius. Mello didn't believe in Astrology, that kind of unproven rubbish had always been a world for Misa, but he still knew everything about it. He had long since memorised all the traits of the signs, figured out where all of his friends sat and what theirs were, and occasionally he would check his horoscope, just for a laugh.

'Sagittarius: Blunt, Critical, Over Emotional, Impulsive, Reckless, Inconsistent, but also clever and strong…'

'You don't actually believe in that trash do you?'

Mello nearly took the quick route of the roof, jumping at the unexpected voice. He turned and looked, Kiyomi had somehow made her way onto the roof and was now nestling into a position next to him.

'How'd you know I was here?'

'I heard you climbing up earlier.'

'How'd you get up?'

'There's a sky-light in the attic with a hatch.' Kiyomi said. 'You took the hard way.'

Mello fumed silently.

'It's beautiful out tonight.'

'Yeah.' Mello agreed, returning his gaze to the dusty moon.

They sat there together, not a word exchanged between them, soaking in the endless view. After a minute Kiyomi pulled a thermostat from he coat and poured a cup for Mello.

'Thanks.' He said, taking it and drinking.

His lips where warmed with the taste of chai tea, ordinarily coffee was his preferred derbonair, but he wasn't complaining. He only now realised how cold his body was and was grateful that Kiyomi had brought him something to drink. Until now he hadn't noticed the cold, his inner anger at Near raging.

He wasn't 'angry' with Near, just frustrated, every time they got within touching distance Near would run away, and like a well trained dog Mello would chase after him. But also like a dog, the game was growing old, his legs were tired, and his tail didn't wag so hopefully anymore. Matt had assured him that Near would come around tomorrow, and he believed his friend, the red-head was brilliant with romantic advice even if he couldn't get a relationship off the ground.

But Mello was starting to doubt, could Near ever stay with him without running again? Did Mello want to chase him down time after time? Was this all that their relationship was built on, could they live without it? Mello didn't know the answered, but he feared what they may be.

'You never answered my question.' Kiyomi said.

'What?'

'You don't actually believe in astrology do you?'

'No. It's more of a guilty pleasure I guess. I don't fucking trust it a bit, but part of me wants to believe in it I guess.'

'That's ok, we all have those guilty pleasures.'

'I suppose.'

'What's Near's sign?' Said Kiyomi.

'You don't fucking care.'

'No. But tell me anyway.'

Mello searched the sky until he found it. It was a long string of stars, glowing like white diamonds and all strung together by an invisible string, pulling them into constellation.

'There.' He said, pointing it out for Kiyomi. 'Scorpio, see, its that long line of stars that curve at one end. You see that bright one, that's called Antares, and those three of to the side are all part of the constellation too. If connect them all it looks like a fork that's really bent, but it's meant to be a scorpion.'

'What're the… qualities, of a Scorpio?'

'You don't fucking care.' Mello repeated.

'No.' Kiyomi said, echoing her words of moments passed. 'But tell me anyway.'

'Scorpio's are meant to be secretive, passionate, resolute, insensitive but steadfast, painstaking in their endeavours and stubborn at times.'

Kiyomi let out a small chuckle.

'That describes him well enough, but it could describe you, or L and Light.'

'Yeah, that's why astrology is bullshit.'

'But you still believe it a bit, don't you?'

'Perhaps.'

'There's nothing wrong with that, we all believe strange things.'

'Even you?'

Kiyomi paused and stared up at the moon. Her thoughts seemed to drift, setting sail into the night, only for a moment. She blinked and returned her attention. Mello waited.

'Do you know about Hou Yi and Chang'e?' She asked.

'The Chinese Fairytale.'

'The same.' Kiyomi said. 'In my head Light is Hou Yi and I am Chang'e. I believe that I will ultimately end up with him, because it is true love that prevails, just as it did for them.'

'They only saw each other once a year.' Mello pointed out.

'True.' Kiyomi said, her normal assurance being replaced with a quite wistfulness. 'But they loved each other enough to wait.'

She gripped her golden peach pendant.

'Do you believe in that kind of love?' Mello asked her.

'We all have those guilty pleasures.' Kiyomi said. 'And perhaps we believe in them a little too much.'

'But true love? Really?'

'Astrology? You're no better.'

'It's all rubbish anyway, it doesn't mean anything.' Mello said, brushing off the conversation.

He took another sip of the tea, it was warm and sweet, tasting slightly of dark chocolate. Kiyomi had picked out the 'Chocolate Chai' flavour for him. The initial heat was gone and now the drink was more manageable. Mello had imagined that a kiss from Near would taste similar, sweet and warm, slightly of dark chocolate, there was no way Near was white chocolate that just seemed _'A bit too obvious really.'_

'The moon is wonderful.' Kiyomi said. 'Like a red rose.'

'What kind of roses are you thinking of?' Mello asked with a laugh.

Kiyomi ignored him.

'Red. Represents passion, both in love and anger, perhaps the two strongest emotions that exist. They're really the same thing though aren't they?'

'Perhaps.' Mello said, thinking of how much he loved Near, but the small albino could create such intense anger also.

'Are Scorpios and you star sign compatible?'

'Yes.' Mello said. 'But it's all rubbish, like I said.'

'I wouldn't give up believing it just yet.' Kiyomi said. 'I know that Near makes you angry, especially recently, but it will work out, I know it will, we all do. You two are tied together like Chang'e and Hou Yi, it doesn't matter what separates you, you will find a way, you always do.'

Mello took this in silently, drinking the tea.

'The moon is beautiful.' Kiyomi said.

'A full moon.' Mello remarked.

'No. The penultimate moon, but I like it more.'

'Why?'

'Because it means there's always time for tomorrow.'

With those words Kiyomi stood and left, shutting the sky light with a dull thud. Mello stayed on the roof, drinking the tea, and when it ran out, he too stood and went inside.

…

The weather the following day was a cocktail of potential rain and bitter winds. Clouds to had been encroaching from the edges of the horizon the night before had now completely consumed the sky and hung low, brewing with the uncertain promise of heavy rain. The only refuge to be found from the possible downpour was the lake house, entrenched into the landscape; warm wood fires and stone walls providing shelter from the fanged weather.

The eight spent their morning held up inside the house, watching the weather closely to see if it would clear allowing them to go out or whether the heavens would split, caging them in with rain. It was a drowsy morning, nobody really wanting to get up out of bed. The first person out of bed was Kiyomi, up at eight. She was alone for another forty-five minutes, sitting at the table with a cup of Jasmine in her hand, waiting for the next person to join her. The next person was Light and then only a few minutes later, Misa. By ten thirty they were all up, having slowly trickled from their rooms, announcing their awakening with long yawns and complaints about the cold. The cold was so bad that Matt (the last one up) had elected to bring his warm bed with him, marching around the house in a cocoon of covers.

Ever slowly, the morning churned on and into the afternoon. Two minute noodles were for lunch, Matt and Mello having been dumped with meal preparation for the day. Everyone was grateful that they'd chosen such a simplistic meal, seeing as Mello only knew how to work with chocolate and Matt didn't know how to cook at all. Matt was keeping his eyes on Mello and Near, their dynamic was… strange.

Near seemed on the verge of going and talking to the blonde, but every time he looked as if he were about to approach he'd shy away or find an excuse to be elsewhere. Mello waited patiently for Near, but with every shy away he grew steadily more frustrated. He didn't have any chocolate to eat, but if he did, Matt guessed the snaps of his bites would have been loud enough to roll over the hills.

Still, Matt didn't have the energy to spend on the two of them, they would have to sort out their problems themselves. _'They've really been beyond my help for a while now, they'll figure it out, they always do.'_ Instead Matt turned to his latest subject for romantic assistance, L and Light. Whilst they were making lunch (despite their best efforts, it always took him and Mello ten minutes to make two minute noodles) Matt discussed his plans with Mello.

'So, L and Light.' Matt said.

'Yeah, what about them?'

'Well, we want them together right.'

'Suppose.'

'So.' Matt said with a grin. 'I've been thinking-'

'That's unlike you.' Neo called from the hallway.

'Screw you Neo.'

'I know you want to.'

Neo walked into the room, continuing her banter with Matt, the two rattling sabres with sassy remarks. Mello rolled his eyes.

'Ok.' Neo said, their dual finished. 'What's your big plan?'

'Well, its not really a plan as such, it's more just a thought I've had.'

'What?'

'Well, we know who Misa and Kiyomi and L all like, but who does Light like?'

'I dunno.' Neo said.

'Exactly.' Matt said grinning. 'Therefore, after lunch I propose we find out.'

'How?' Neo asked.

Matt told them, every element of his not-quite-a-plan being explained with excited words. Neo listened with eyes wide, Mello with disinterest. The more Matt explained the more excited he became, and the more excited Neo became, until he was grinning ear to ear like a child at Christmas and she wasn't scowling as fiercely as usual.

'So.' Matt said finishing. 'What do you think?'

'Invading peoples privacy.' Neo said with a tone of consideration. 'I love it, count me in.'

'Mels.'

'Fuck no.'

This caught Matt by surprise. Until now Mello had always seemed just as interested in bringing L and Light together as he had. The blondes response seemed totally contrary to everything he'd expressed before.

'No?'

'No.' Mello repeated. 'Count me out.'

'But why?'

'I just don't think we should.'

That wasn't the real reason, Matt knew, Mello knew that Matt knew, but both continued on, deciding it was best to leave it. The real reason was because after the night before Mello felt he couldn't interfere, for Kiyomi's sake. He still didn't believe that she should have Light, but she loved him, and it was a strong love.

So after a very subdued lunch, with Mello and Near silently exchanged awkward glances, Matt and Neo moved quickly to set their plan in motion. They excused themselves from the table early and the moment they were out of site of the others hastened. Matt went back to his room to retrieved his go-pro that they'd used when they had locked Near and Mello in the cupboard together. Neo went for the master key of the house, and used it to unlock Lights room.

It took them less than a minute to set up, they positioned the go-pro on top of the cupboard, tucking it in a shadowed nook in the room. Matt then established a live feed to his lap-top so they could watch everything going on. The two left, the whole operation had taken three minutes from the moment they had stood from the table.

Afterwards they retreated to Matt's room. They had been staying at the Lake House for just over a day, but already he had managed to turn his room into a disaster zone. Game cartridges and underwear littered the floor, and much to Neo's disbelief, there was also a pair of Zelda patterned briefs hanging from the ceiling fan. A thistle of charger cables for all of Matt's gaming devices rested in another corner and his cupboard was slightly ajar, revealing that he had stored his empty suitcases inside.

Neo gave him a bemused but stunned look, Matt just shrugged.

He led Neo over to the bed and, after straightening out the mattress which was hanging slightly over the side and clearing all other devices, they sat. Matt opened the laptop, a live full colour feed of Lights room on the screen.

Neither had been expecting anything to happen for quite some time, but much to their surprise, Light entered his room only a few minutes into their viewing time. Neo and Matt leaned toward the screen, taking in everything they saw, searching Light for clues. Everything seemed normal, Light sitting on his bed and taking a drink of water.

Then the normality evaporated from the scene.

Misa entered the room.

And without a word being shared between them she strode over to Light, sat on his lap, and locked lips with him.

Neo and Matt sat wide eyed with mouths in matching 'O' shapes like players in a pantomime.

Their thoughts raced along matching tracks as they tried to take in the scene, _'What just happened? Is this for real? Light and Misa? There's no way they're together, it doesn't make sense! But I just saw it, they are! But it's Light… and Misa! But how, and when? Why are they keeping it a secret? Light? And Misa? What the hell!?'_

'Should we stop watching?' Neo asked.

'Nope.' Matt said.

'Ok.'

And so they continued to watch the two of them, their voyeurism keeping their eyes glued to screen.

Light and Misa were aggressive, when they kissed there was war between them. The power would shift from one to the other, both trying to hold onto the dominance in the relationship. One moment Light would have the control, having Misa pinned and would attack her with a barrage of furious kisses. The next moment Misa would be leading, lulling Light with tender touches until he'd given control to her.

Neo and Matt were fixed to the screen, even if they had wanted to look away they couldn't now. The strange dance of love and power being performed by Misa and Light had them entranced. It was strange, almost exotic, but somehow honest in its dishonest secrecy. They may have been hiding their relationship from everyone else but between them their seemed to be a mutual agreement for truth. They weren't hiding anything, they were just two people together.

'Well how does this figure into your plans for L?' Neo asked in a barely audible whisper.

'I don't know.' Matt said.

Even now, watching the passion between the two, watching how close they were, how intimate and how beautiful, Matt still felt it was wrong. _'It should be L there, I don't know why, but it should be him.'_ Matt searched his mind for ideas, how to make Light fall in love with L, or Misa to break it off with Light, but nothing came to mind.

It was strange, but he felt guilty. He wanted to help L, he knew L deserved Light and Light deserved L. But his mind was resistant to the idea, if he interfered, if he got in the way and meddled with what they had he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. _'They're happy, that's enough, right? No Light should have L not Misa, why did he choose her?'_ Matt thought about this _. 'Because we choose who we think we deserve and not who we should be with._ '

'You still gonna help L?' Neo asked.

'I don't know.' Matt said honestly.

'I think you should.'

'Why? They're happy, we shouldn't interfere.'

'Yes we should.'

'Why?'

'Because.'

'That's it?' Matt asked.

'That's it.' Neo confirmed.

'You're not gonna say anything else?'

'I don't need to, do I?'

Neo turned to face Matt, her dark eyes and his emerald ones meeting.

'Do I?' She repeated.

Matt smiled, _'God she knows how to play me.'_ He couldn't help himself and she knew it, of course he would interfere, _'after all that's what good friends do.'_

'No, you don't.' He said.

'Good.' Neo said with a smile. 'You better start planning, this is gonna be the ultimate test of your wingman skills.'

'You're not going to help?'

'You know what they say about birds of a feather?'

Matt raised his eyebrow.

'They fuck shit up together.' Neo said.

Matt laughed.

'Of course I'll help.' Neo said. 'Now lets watch and get some more information.'

Their moment was interrupted by a commotion at the other end of the camera. Light had picked up Misa and was carrying her across the room until he pushed her onto the cupboard with a thud. Matt's eyes widened as the camera shook and leaned toward the edge, balancing precariously. It looked as if were ready to fall at any moment, the slightest provocation could send it plummeting off the cupboard and down straight onto Light and Misa.

'Ah crap…' Matt whispered.

Misa had gained the upper hand and pushed Light off her, releasing herself from the cage he had made around her with his arms. She took him by the lapels and swung him around forcing him against the cupboard, pinning him just has she had been pinned a moment earlier. The cupboard shuddered and the camera wobbled making the image seem drunken. It balanced in indecision, just for a moment, Neo and Matt took a breath in.

Then, it made up it's mind.

The camera plummeted from the top of the cupboard. The image blurred as it rushed toward the golden crown of Misa below, shuddering as it hit on the head. Matt and Neo released their breathes with a joint grimace. The camera bounced off of Misa as she let out a squeal of pain and came to rest on the wooden floor.

Light and Misa broke apart, the blonde rubbing her the spot where the camera had assailed her, the brunette searching for the criminal item. He saw the go-pro on the ground, knelt down, picked it up. He stared at it for a moment, Neo and Matt getting an uncomfortably intimate close-up on Light's face. They saw every thought cross it, curiosity, questioning, realising, anger.

'Matt!' Light screamed down the line, his voice coming from both the laptop speakers and across the house.

Matt and Neo grimaced, they saw Light storm out of his room on the computer screen and heard the slamming of his door from the other side of the house.

…

Near, Kiyomi, and L were in the kitchen assembling an array of ingredients and cooking materials when they heard the slamming of a door and Light storm past a moment later. He looked positively livid.

'Matt, don't you dare think of hiding from me!' He shouted.

Misa ran past a moment later, looking positively dishevelled. She chased after Light saying:

'Calm down, calm down!'

The three exchanged a look, Near puzzled, L and Kiyomi masking their respective attractions to the enraged brunette with feigned curiosity.

'I do not envy Matt.' L said.

'Not at all.' Near agreed.

'I wonder what he's done to get Light so riled up.' Kiyomi asked worriedly, she shook her head. 'Come on, lets get to work on this cake.'

Earlier that morning Near had come to her and asked her to help him bake a cake. She had suspected why but asked Near all the same, just to confirm her suspicions. Near had explained that he wanted to give it to Mello as a reconciliatory gift, a way of apologizing for his recent behaviour. That had given Kiyomi a reason to smile, _'Near's so adorably innocent sometimes'_.

And so after lunch they had set to work, getting the kitchen ready, Kiyomi instructing Near like a mother does to a child. Near seemed perfectly content to play the role of child as well, obeying her every command, picking out the brightest apron and insisting on doing all the mixing. He'd even tried to crack the eggs but on attempt-and-failure number three Kiyomi had decided it was probably best that she taught him that skill on a different day.

However it seemed Near's failure had jinxed Kiyomi as she failed on successfully cracking three eggs as well. That was where L had joined, entering the kitchen and cracking an egg on his first go, the yolk falling into the flour. Now he sat watching the cooking process from the bench, sitting in his usual crouch, and occasionally calling out when they forgot a step or misplaced a cooking item.

'Why the hell did you put a go-pro in my room!' Came Lights shout.

The three all looked up curiously, each wanting to go and find out what Matt had done. But they knew they had to stay, help Near finish the cake. In many ways it was going to at as a bridge, Near didn't know how to apologize or explain to Mello and the gift of the cake might just smooth things over enough for him to manage.

Near had been determined not to show it, but he had been missing the blonde. He was still worried about their future, would they work? Wouldn't they? Was he, small, young, and innocent as he was, really good enough for Mello? Near didn't know how to get around the problem, he'd tried to approach Mello but that wasn't working. So maybe this would.

He hoped so.

'It's an invasion of people's privacy!' Light shouted. 'Don't give me that look Neo!'

'Oh like you care, you just don't want me revealing your secret!' Matt shouted back.

L could imagine the scene, Light shouted at Matt, Matt shouted back, each giving as much as they took. Neo would be sitting in the corner, looking gleeful at the conflict and giving the occasional snarky remark. Misa would be a worried, desperately running between the two boys, trying to calm both down, on the verge of tears, she did really hate conflict.

Misa.

Something didn't add up to L, something about the blonde. _'Why had she chased after Light? Was she in the same room as him?'_ That didn't make sense, Light would surely still be angry at her for kissing L at the Halloween Ball, so why would they have been in the same room? L shook his head, probably nothing.

'Damn it Matt, this isn't funny!'

'Do I look like I'm laughing?'

'There.' Kiyomi said, trying to ignore the shouting. 'Into the oven. Now we can lick the mixture off the bowl.'

Near's eyes went wide with excitement, _'he really is still a child at heart'_ Kiyomi thought. They set to work on the bowl, each extracting as much of the mixture as they could with spoon, licking the sugary cream. Kiyomi handed Near the whisks, both of which were covered in mixture. He went goggle eyed but accepted them quickly and set to work on them. L looked longingly at them, wishing that Kiyomi had given them to him instead.

Near was using his finger to get the sugary mix off the whisks. His hands were getting steadily grubbier, they'd used triple the usual chocolate for this cake seeing as it was for Mello, and now Near looked at if he had been soaking his hands in mud. They were smeared with the dark brown mixture and Near began to suck on each finger until they were clean.

'No Matt you can't just shrug you're way out of this one!'

'Aw come on!'

Near felt someone press into him from behind and take his wrist. He turned, Mello was there, the blonde took Nears hand and slowly sucked on each finger, licking the mixture off the pale skin. Near went red, his mind rushing but his thoughts spiralling out of reach. It was positively sensual, Mello's lips and tongue were soft, beautifully tender with every touch.

Near felt like he knew what he had to do. He turned on the spot, taking Mello around the waist and leant up to kiss him. Mello placed a finger over his mouth, stopping him.

'First tell me what the problem is you horny fuck.'

Near was taken aback, 'doesn't he want this, want me? I thought he'd be happy, I was certain.' Near understood why Mello had asked for this, but he still felt slightly hurt, as if the reason mattered more than the reconciliation.

'Can't I explain after I've made it up to you?' Near whispered.

'I'm sorry ok!' Matt shouted.

'Just tell me.' Mello pushed.

'Sorry doesn't cut it this time Matt!' Light shouted back.

Near took a breath in, readied himself to apologize and explain. Now that he was here with Mello that fear that he had felt, that thought that he might not have been good enough had fled his mind. He knew, as he stood there in Mello's embrace, that it was where he was meant to be.

'I was afraid.' Near said.

'Of what?' Mello asked.

Kiyomi and L had quickly moved out of the kitchen, taking some bowls to dry as they did. It was just Mello and Near.

'That I wouldn't be good enough for you.' Near said. 'I was afraid that you wouldn't be happy with me, you've done this all before and I'm all new to it, I was just… just afraid.'

Mello pushed Near away, rather than the understanding and acceptance Near sought he looked furious. His face was going red, as enflamed as the scar across his left eye. Near reached out to take Mello, to calm him down, but Mello pulled his hand away.

'Mello I…'

'Shut up Near.' Mello growled.

He turned away, breathing heavily, his body rising and falling with every violent breath, anger running through his body, heating his blood. Outside the kitchen, Light came storming back out of Matt's room, followed by a concerned Misa and an annoyed Matt and Neo. Kiyomi and L watched on.

'I just can't believe you Matt!' Light shouted.

'Light…' Misa said quietly. 'The others can see…'

'You just had to go sticking your nose in…'

'Light…' Misa said.

'I didn't want people to know that Misa and I had gotten together!' Light shouted.

Matt's eyes widened, Misa gasped, Neo smiled with glee, Kiyomi dropped the bowl she was drying with a loud shatter of glass, and L's face fell. Light stood there for a moment, and then it registered. He realised what he had said, who was watching. Light opened his mouth to speak, talk his way out the situation, but he didn't know what to say.

Misa ran one way, back to her room, Kiyomi stormed down the stairs looking like she was fighting back tears. Much to Lights surprise L ran out as well, onto the patio and down around the side of the house. Light reached for each of them as they ran but grabbed listlessly at thin air. He wanted to go after all of them, and in the end he chose none, standing in the fallout.

He began to move, going after L, Light didn't know why, it was just the direction he was drawn in. There was no explaining it, he just gravitated that way, it felt like the most natural way to go. It didn't make any rational sense, but his irrational mind was running the show, and it told him to go that way.

Near and Mello didn't hear any of this, they were in their own separate world, completely isolated from the one in the other room. Mello continued to breath heavily, inhaling and exhaling angrily.

'Mello I'm sorry, I was just afraid.' Near repeated, he didn't know what else to say, but he knew repeating himself wasn't enough.

Mello turned, his face red and creased.

'Fucking hell Near!' He said, Near stepping back in fright. 'You think that because I used to be with Sophie I'm somehow not afraid? That because I have 'experience' I never worry? That I'm never afraid? I'm scarred shitless by the idea of us being together. But you know what? It's not a bad thing. It reminds me about how much I love you, how much you mean to me, because the idea of fucking it all us less preferable to a painful death! Hell fucking it all up would be a painful death as far as I'm concerned! But I don't run away, I hold you tight so I never fucking lose you, because if you go I worry that I might never see you again! Yes, I'm fucking afraid, but I don't fear that fear, because it is love. And I just wish you understood that because none of this would have ever happened, but instead you had to go and behave like a fucking immature child!'

With every word Mello drove in a blade, verbally piercing him and tearing him down until he felt small and hurt. _'I'm just a child to him? Just like with everyone else?'_ Near felt like crying, he hadn't cried in years, not since that night, and he wasn't going to let Mello see. He just felt so hurt, so degraded by a few simple words.

He turned and ran, Mello reached out for him, he knew he'd gone to far this time. Mello took Near's hand but the albino jerked it away violently.

'No!' He shouted, his voice cracking as he tried to hold in the tears.

Near ran from the kitchen, out passed Matt and Neo. They exchanged a glance, Neo ran after Near and Matt went to intercept Mello.

Near ran straight out of the house, Neo hot on his tail, following him as he bolted into the cold air and toward the woods. Mello went to follow them but Matt stopped him just he exited the house. Mello wanted to call after him, tell him to stop, but he couldn't bring out the words.

He turned to go back inside, reading the inscription above the door: 'Thus Kindly I Scatter'.

' _Near scattered.'_ Mello thought. _'Out of fear? Love? Anger? Passion? He scattered like a rose, red the colour of passion. Maybe it was out of fear, maybe out of kindness. It didn't feel like kindness, but maybe I wouldn't know.'_

Mello looked out the window, over the woods Near had run into.

'Just come back.' He said. 'I'm sorry.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Much happened in this chapter! I'm really happy with how lots of the dialouge turned out, but I think the description suffered a little. Anyway, a lot of drama for you all to feast upon! Please leave a review with you thoughts! And stay tuned for the next chapter!_

 _P.S: The reviews on the last chapter were lovely! Thank you!_


	26. Chapter 23: Roses in Rain

_A/N: After how long I made you wait for the last chapter I thought I tried to get this one out quickly, to make it up to you nice people. Enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: Own Death Note, I do not._

* * *

'L?' Light called.

' _He can't have gotten far, he's too unfit.'_

'L?' Light called again, louder this time.

The only answer he got was his own voice, echoing, mocking him. The sky was dark, the possibility of rain was now a promise. Soon the heavens would open, the rain would pour, the sky would roar with thunder, and burst with lightning. There was no question of it, everything was cold but stuffy, the slight feeling of suffocation right before the first drop falls.

'L?' Light called again. 'Come on, please?'

Again, nothing but his own voice repeated back to him by the land. Light ran down the other side of the house, it was even darker there than around the front. Everything was covered in shadows that were as dark as the patches under the eyes of the boy Light sought.

' _Why did I come this way?'_ Light thought. _'Why did I go after L rather than Misa?'_ It had been a decision made on instinct rather than rationality, the chaos his words had caused allowed for that one choice to be made by the ungoverned, unchecked, element of his mind. Rather than turn right and go after Misa he had gone left and after L.

Light tried to reason it with himself, searching for the rational explanation. _'L is my closest friend, the one I've known for the longest. It will be quick to apologize and explain to him. Misa I need to leave the most time for, she's the most important, right? Besides L is my right hand man, I need him on side, I have to fix any feelings that I hurt?'_ The problem was that he was trying to use rationality to explain irrationality.

Light knew that his rational line of thinking begot another question, the obvious question.

What feelings of L's did Light hurt?

Light didn't mean to imply that L had no feelings, he knew full well that L had emotions, he was just reserved with them. But it didn't make rational sense that L, based on what Light knew, should react in the manner he had to the news. _'If anything I thought L would be happy, I finally made a choice, the drama is over, normality can resume. After all there's nothing L hates more than drama, he's told me so himself.'_

Light wondered what he didn't know, what mystery factor had caused L to take the information so badly.

L sat huddled in an alcove of shadow, shivering slightly in the heatless space between a bush and a corner of the house. His mind raced as Lights did. He knew he shouldn't have run, Light would be suspicious, _'is he going to realise I have feelings for him?'_ L both hated and loved that prospect. He hated the idea of Light knowing and losing their friendship as a result but he loved the chance that Light would know and take him instead.

The hope and fear battled within him, the hope made him want to find the voice calling his name, the fear to run from it. To not have to hide, to hide forever. To take the leap, to be safe. To have uncertain love, to have certain friendship. To be true, to lie.

Until now L had been living with the lie, choosing the safety over the passion. But now the possibility that it could amount to something had him want to leap. _'I don't have to do much, to just talk with him would be enough, test the waters.'_

Light walked past where L sat, calling his name and missing him completely. _'There it is, the signal, to take a step, just a small step, a test. So step.'_

'Light.'

Sounds of running, backtracking, relieved steps, certainty rather than searching. Lights head poked around the corner, looking, finding, a smile. L's heart fluttered slightly at that grin, he had to try his hardest not to go red. He mustered the energy to return with a small toothless grin. Light moved to sit next to him.

'Are you ok?' He asked.

'Yes.' L said.

'Then why did you run?'

' _Just tell him.'_ L told himself, trying to cut across the voice of his rational mind, but it was on it's own tangent. _'Don't tell him?'_ It said. _'But why?'_ His emotional mind asked. _'Because you are happy, why risk it?'_ The rational voice asked. _'You could be happier.'_ His emotional voice parried. _'If you speak you might end up unhappy instead.'_ _'It's worth the risk.' 'The odds say stay safe.' 'Leap.'_

A side won the argument.

'I just thought that as your best friend you might have told me.' L lied. 'I thought you trusted me.'

'Is that it?' Light asked.

L nodded. Another lie.

'I'm sorry.' Light said. 'I know I can trust you, I just wanted to keep it a secret a bit longer until I felt ready to tell people. Can you accept that?'

L nodded, _'how can I not, you are my friend.'_

'Again, I'm sorry.' Light said. 'You're my best friend, I should have told you, you're right. Are we all good.'

L nodded again, another toothless smile, the third lie.

'Good.' Light said, relieved.

As if to punctuate his release of stress rain began to fall, the skies to having the tension removed. Light smiled, L felt his heart beat ever so slightly faster at his delighted expression. The rain quickly grew from a shower to a downpour, both of them getting soaked instantaneously.

'Lets go back in. I'm glad you're ok.' Light said.

They both stood and walked toward the nearest door of the house. L maintained his façade, for Lights sake. _'I'm not ok.'_ L thought. _'I'm in love, and I lied.'_

…

Mello on the steps of the house watching the mouth of the forest for anyone that might come out. Matt sat on a chair a few meters away, DS open, but watching Mello closely. Normally he would do something, joke, comfort, listen to Mello rant, but right now he knew that there was nothing he could do. Mello hadn't moved from his spot from the moment Neo had disappeared after Near, and the look on his face said he wasn't going to move until Near came back and he could fix things.

So Matt just waited with his friend, getting his leather jacket from inside, Mello hadn't said anything but Matt knew his friend wanted it. Part of Matt wanted to go inside and keep up to date with the Light situation but his duty was with the blonde. _'I started this, pushed their relationship. I have to see him through.'_ When the rain started the temperature dropped even further and with it fell Mello's expression.

Then the thunder started.

There was a brilliant flash on the horizon as a lightning bolt was drawn across the sky, a second later thunder boomed. Mello had tensed, worry mixing with his guilt and anger. Matt didn't need the snapping sounds of Mello eating chocolate to know that's what he was feeling. _'It's only thunder.'_ Matt thought. _'They'll be fine.'_ Then, Neo emerged from the woods.

She was saturated, her scarf hung bedraggled and defeated, the red bomber jacket was glossy with rain and her black hair flopped into her eyes.

She was also alone.

Near, who should have been shivering and drenched. Near, whose pale skin would shining like polished marble in the rain. Near, who left bare foot and should have had feet muddier than a pig-pen. Near, who should have been all these things, was not with her.

The moment Mello saw the lonesome figure in the rain, he leapt from his spot and ran to her. Matt knew something was about to go down and chased after him. The moment he stepped into the rain he was soaked, his goggles immediately went foggy from the rain so Matt pulled them off, stowing them in his pocket.

Mello reached Neo, Matt a few steps behind. She looked apologetic, a rare expression for Neo, and terrified (even rarer) by Mello's. Matt couldn't see Mellos eyes but he knew they were burning hotter than hell, fire and brimstone seeming colder than the arctic by comparison. Mello grabbed Neo by the lapels and shook her. They were roughly the same height but in that moment Mello loomed and Neo shrunk into his shadow, dominated.

'Where the fuck is he?' Mello screamed.

'I don't know.' Neo said.

'Don't give me that bullshit-' Mello said charging up for a rant.

Matt intervened, pushing the two apart. It was hard, Mello resisting for a few seconds, Neo pulling away as hard as she could. Mello let go and Neo stumbled back and slipped, landing butt first in the mud with a wet splat. Mello did not seem even remotely apologetic.

'Calm it Mels.' Matt said. 'Shouting won't achieve anything.'

'I don't give a flying fuck what shouting will or won't fucking achieve you piece of fucking shit!' Mello said. 'Where is he?'

'Mels, calm-'

'Where. Is. He?'

Neo was petrified, her eyes wider than a cats in headlights, Mello took another step toward her, he looked like he very much wanted to hit her. Matt pushed him back again, having to strain every muscle just to keep him away from her.

'I don't know.' She said again. 'When the thunder struck he just bolted into the woods.'

'You didn't even think to fucking go after him?' Mello challenged.

'I was going to be he just disappeared, it was dark and raining so I came back, there was nothing I could do.'

This didn't seemed to satisfy Mello at all. He made another lunge for Neo, hands wide, ready to strangle her if he got the chance. Matt had to wrestle with him, pushing him away from Neo.

'You're fucking selfish Neo, a little bit of rain and you abandon him, how dare you.'

'Mels, he'll be back in a-'

Matt's went unnoticed. The moment Mello uttered the last syllable she stood, her eyes quickly becoming as hellish as the blondes. She too had an expression of rage, but unlike Mello, who snarled with his teeth bared and red hot rage, Neo's face was icier than the rain, lips tight, eyes dark. She walked over to Mello and slapped him, hard, leaving the blonde stunned.

'How dare I?' Neo shouted back, the fear she felt moments earlier dissipating. 'How dare I? I'm not the one who shouted at him, who belittled him, who humiliated him. I'm not the one, stringing him along…'

'Stringing him along?' Mello shouted back 'He was stringing me along, I had every right-'

'He wasn't stringing you along.' Neo said in disbelief. 'God you're a shit-for-brains. He felt he had to ask you out, if you had any sense you would have seen he was nervous and asked him first! It was the considerate thing to do.'

Mello went to charge for her, like a bull at a red cape, and Matt had to once more intercept him and hold him back. Mello struggled in Matt's arms, thrashing and lunging at her, his entire body was electrified and manic. Even though Matt had Mello at bay Neo still stepped back, the look in Mello's eyes making her want to flee but she held her ground.

'Considerate?' Mello spat. 'What would you know of considerate? I'm not the one who left him in the fucking forest during a thunderstorm!'

'Mels, why does it matter?' Matt said. 'He'll be back-'

'He's afraid of thunder.' Mello said.

And it was as if someone had drain Mello's body of all the energy and power he possessed, the blonde falling limp in Matt's arms, defeated. _'He left, just like mother did, it's all the same. Why do the people I love always run?'_ Mello felt powerless, the wheel of history seemed destined to turn and repeat and there was nothing he could do. _'Only this time it's worse, because I made it happen this time.'_

'He's afraid of thunder.' Mello repeated. 'He'll run away and then freeze up, he won't come back.'

Understanding hit Matt and Neo.

'The prank…' Neo said.

'He missed class during storms at school.' Matt said.

Mello nodded, unable even to speak. _'It's all my fault, he'll never forgive me. Dammit, I've ruined everything, damn me and my loud fucking mouth, damn my temper. I've been so stupid. Why do you always run away Near? Every time, you always run, why do I never chase after you?'_

'Go after him.' Neo said.

'What?' Mello said, looking up.

'God, for a genius you're a real idiot.' Matt said. 'She's right, go after him, it's the right thing to do. The only thing to do.'

'But how do I find him?' Mello whispered, his voice barely audible in the heavy rain.

'You just will.' Matt said.

Neo took a step towards Mello, and reached for his face. Instead of the slap like before she gently stroked his cheek, running her finger from his high cheekbone down his jaw to his chin. The slowly forced his head up, staring him straight in his azure eyes.

'You will find him.' Neo said. 'It is written.'

'But-'

'It is written.'

Mello nodded. A fierce determination entering his eyes, a new kind of fire igniting. Despite the fact that he was freezing and the rain felt like iced blades rather than water he knew he had to go. It seemed so simple now that they had said it. _'You always run Near. I always thought I was special because you came back, but that's not it at all.'_ Mello looked back at the house, at the words engraved over the front door: 'Thus Kindly I Scatter'. _'It's not you who's scattered kindly Near, it's me, the kindness is because I scatter after you, for you, to find you.'_

' _You run, and I will follow.'_

Matt lowered his arms and Mello ran, every step was made with resolve, his direction had conviction, Mello knew where he had to go. He sprinted through the mouth of the forest, trailing valour, the rain and darkness swallowing him. Neo and Matt watched after him

'It is written?' Matt repeated.

'Yep.' Neo said.

'That's was Slumdog Millionaire wasn't it?'

'Sure was.'

Matt shook his head and laughed.

…

Kiyomi stared at her reflection. In the dark room she face looked sunken and skeletal, just the hollow echo of a human that had once gone by her name. It was as if everything she had used to define herself was gone and this creature in her reflection was all that was left. She felt sick.

She reached for her golden pendent, her hands running over it's perfectly sculpted form. It was smooth, her finger gliding over the gold with ease. The gold that once shone was dim, the dark stripping away the beauty and radiance that had once been held in the little peach shaped pendent.

' _Hou Yi had to eat a peach from the eternal garden so he could ascend into the heavens to be with the one he loved, Chang'e.'_ Those words, that story, it all seemed so worthless to her now. The trust she had placed in them was betrayed, torn and reduced to rubble. _'I trusted that story, that somehow I would find love.'_ Kiyomi had known that fairytale love didn't exist, that it couldn't exist, but she had let herself believe, become weak.

She ran her hand over the pendent again, took it, raised it to her lips. It was cold. Kiyomi wasn't one to cry, she hadn't cried since her grandmother had died the year before last, but she felt tears brimming like water in dam that was full. _'I shouldn't have believed in fairytales, I shouldn't have believed in love, I was a fool.'_

' _Light is a fire, he burns people and doesn't even realise he's doing it.'_ Those were L's words, spoken to her on a moonlit night, the first night she'd let herself believe. They seemed like a warning now, foreshadowing from the very start, as if he had been telling her it couldn't have ended any different way.

' _He's right, there was no other way this was going to end.'_ Kiyomi thought. _'But then why does it hurt so much?'_ Every breath felt strained, as if her chest was being crushed and ripped apart at the same time. There was a phantom, some invisible man reached in and clawing at her heart. Except the man wasn't invisible, he was real, he was called Raito 'Light' Yagami.

Her thoughts were interrupted by three knocks at the door.

'Can I come in?' Came Lights muffled voice through the door.

'Yes.' Kiyomi said, miraculously finding the power to sound strong when she felt so weak.

Light opened the door slowly. In the darkness he looked reduced, his features were veiled by the gloom. Kiyomi couldn't see his eyes, his sockets looked hollow. He seemed reduced in the dark, the person Kiyomi thought she had known, thought she had loved was gone, and this was who replaced him. _'The invisible man clawing at my heart.'_

'I'm sorry.' Light said.

'It's fine.' Kiyomi said a little too quickly.

Light took a step toward her, Lightning flashed outside. For a moment his face was lit up, it was written with compassion, the eyes that Kiyomi had fallen in love with were wide and empathetic. The room went dark again, the invisible man returned.

'Kiyomi…'

'I'm fine.' Kiyomi repeated, calmer this time. 'I understand, it was your choice after all.'

Light leant in and kissed her on the cheek, a soft kiss, tender and apologetic. It lasted a second but spoke enough words to last a lifetime. 'Sorry that I hurt you, sorry that I didn't choose you, sorry because you deserve better, thank you for being better than me.' There was a crash of thunder outside, it rumbled from over the horizon somewhere.

'Thank you, Kiyomi Tadaka.' He whispered.

Then Light left, leaving the room before Kiyomi could say anything. The door swung shut behind him and his footsteps grew more distant. Kiyomi stood there for a moment, silent.

Then she began to cry.

The tears were warm, they ran down her cheeks and washed away the kiss that Light had just given her. _'Light Yagami, all you do is burn people, you don't even know you do it.'_ Kiyomi sobbed loudly. _'He burnt me, but why do I feel so cold?'_

'You were supposed to be Hou Yi and I was supposed to be Chang'e'

Kiyomi ripped off the golden pendent and threw it at the door. It hit the spot where Light had been only moments earlier. There was a small thud and crack, the chain shattered.

…

The track had been reduced to mud, it sloshed under Mello's feet, flecking onto his clothes and making his every step uncertain and slippery. Three times now he'd fallen to the ground, each time with an ungainly splat and the knowledge that he had further ruined his clothes, probably irreparably by now. His left side was aching from his poor landing on the third fall, his pants were cut and there was a trickle of rose red blood running down his calf. Still he ran on.

Mello felt like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders, a dark mass that he had been carrying for years was gone. _'I've been chasing a ghost for so long, my mother, I've never let go, I've never stopped chasing. Stop chasing, stop chasing, she's gone, let go, stop chasing. But now I see it! I'm not chasing her anymore. I'm chasing you! Near, I'm chasing you. And I won't let you go, I promise. I won't fail you like I did mother. I won't stop chasing you!'_

The rain was caught by the wind and it washed over Mello with each new gust, bombarding him wave after icy wave. Mello ran on. He knew where to go, as if he were being pulled to Near, led by an invisible trail. It made no sense and so it made perfect sense. He couldn't describe it, he just knew where Near was, so he knew that's where he had to be.

At the fourth corner Mello didn't follow the trail instead he leapt off the track, slipped, almost fell on his landing, and pushed through the underbrush. Night had fallen and the forest was a maze of gaunt trees and bushes that looked like strange growths in the shadow. Mello pushed on, brushing every bush out of the way, snapping branches to clear a path.

And there he was, even on the moonless night, with no light out, Near still glowed, more now than ever. His white hair shone like silk. Each drop ran down slowly until it reached the tip, lingered for a moment, and then dropped off like morning dew on a flower. Near was a flower, a beautiful white flower in the rain.

There was a crack of thunder and Near let out a single involuntary whimper. That whimper ran in Mello's ears, resonating through every fibre of his being. Near needed him. Mello walked toward the boy, Near didn't see, his back was turned. _'Stay there or go. Run or don't run. I don't care. I'll chase you, I'll chase you.'_

'I first became of afraid of thunder when I was eight.' Near said.

Mello stopped in his tracks, halted by Near's sudden words. The albino hadn't turned to face him or acknowledge him in any way. He still crouched with his back turned, half covered in mud and sodden, his clothes clinging to his skin. He shivered, perhaps from the cold, perhaps from fear, both.

' _Even now, even now he still surprises me.'_ Mello thought. The blonde knew to stay and listen to what Near had to say, an unspoken contract between the two forged in that second. So he waited and Near continued.

'My mother had been drinking, she came into my room and told me she hated me, that she wanted to kill me.'

Mello nodded, he knew that Near had felt the action even if he couldn't see it.

'So I ran from the house, I didn't know where I was going, I just ran. Eventually I stopped and hid in an alley. I was frightened and alone. A man came up to me. He told me that he would take care of me, that I could stay with him. I was so scared that I went. When we got back his house he told me he loved me, that he would protect me; that he cared for me more than anything. Then he told me to undress. I didn't know what else to do so I did, and then he-'

Another crash of thunder, Near cut off mid-sentence, another whimper of fear. He sat there shaking, Mello waited, he hadn't finished and so he knew he couldn't approach. Eventually Near spoke again.

'There was a thunderstorm that night.' He said, finishing.

Everything made sense now. Mello had been handed the final piece of the puzzle, a piece he didn't know he was missing until now. _'His anger with his mother, his fear of touch, his uneasiness with intimacy, everything, it all makes sense. He ran away that night and he never stopped running.'_ Mello stepped toward Near. He didn't know what to say or do, but he knew he was going to do something.

'Near I-'

'I'm sorry.' Near said,

His shake evolved into convulsion, Mello realised that Near wasn't cold or frightened. He was crying. Silent tears. Mello rounded the albino, stood in front of him.

'How could anyone love me? Near continued. 'You deserve more than me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you deserve so much better-'

Another crack of thunder, Near cut off once more, his body convulsing as he sobbed silently. Mello knelt down. Near's head was bowed, his snow coloured hair hiding his face. All Mello wanted was to see his eyes, those grey eyes that were like the storm. He wanted to wide away every tear and tell him that it would be ok.

'I thought we weren't keeping secrets.' Mello said.

Mello couldn't believe what he had just said. He wanted to find a cliff and throw himself off. _'Of all the things you could do, scolding him was pretty much the worst possible option. I'm such a fucking idiot.'_ Mello winced, knowing that he had probably destroyed the last sliver of hope he had of fixing things, he wouldn't blame Near if he wanted nothing to do with him.

Miraculously, Near looked up. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, everything else looked even paler than usual (such a thing had seemed impossible until now), the cold having sapped every ounce of warmth of Near had held in his small body.

'You were the first person I ever told.'

Near said the words in a whisper, his lips barely moving. There had been just enough energy in them to carry them over to Mello. When the blonde heard his eyes went wide.

'Near…'

'I'm sorry.' Near said again, his head falling once more.

Mello seized Near, and pulled the boy tight. He was frozen, there wasn't even a spark of warmth on him. Mello barely had any warmth himself, but what there was he would share with the albino. Near gasped, not a frightened gasp, but a surprised, even delighted gasped. Even now, given the circumstances and what had just been said, Mello couldn't help but be ever so slightly enticed but that little sound. After a moment Mello felt Near raise his arms and hug Mello back.

Mello wanted to tell Near that he loved him, that he was going to care for him, protect him. But he knew all those words had already been used by that man. That man had wounded Near and it had never healed, Mello had this chance to start. He couldn't use any words that man had used. Mello knew the symptoms of abuse victims, it would have been impossibly difficult for Near to overcome all of them, but he had done it to be with Mello. The blonde finally understood just how much Near cared, and he wasn't going to disrespect him by using words that man had used.

'I promise.' Mello said. 'I will never hurt you like that man did.'

Silence.

Then came Near's whispered reply.

'I love you too.'

Then Mello did the only thing that seemed natural.

Something that should have happened at the dance.

He kissed Near.

Near lips were the darkest of chocolate. It was passionate and reserved. Hot and cold. Tender and Rough. Leading and following. Mature and childish.

Bittersweet.

Near

They kissed slowly, knowing in that second they had eternity. They savoured every sensation, the way the other felt and tasted. They explored how if they kissed slightly harder or slightly softer it would alter the flow of the rain down their faces.

Mello ran his hand down Near's back, exploring the slight curve in the albinos spine. He ran his hand a bit lower than Near's spine and the boy giggled slightly between kisses. Mello revelled in that power he had over Near, the ability to make the boy giggle and gasp with the slightest, softest touches. Mello increased the kisses, growing more ferocious with each one until Near had to pull away and gasp, making a delighted sound as he did.

Mello grinned as Near recovered his breath, the albino was flushed and out of breath. But despite the fact he was soaking and red in the face, he looked positively radiant. His skin glowed and his rare smile was wide.

That was Mello's true power, to make Near beautiful.

…

Light had been living with a shadow all afternoon. Unlike L and Kiyomi, who had run and hidden, Misa had followed Light. The news wasn't startling, horrifying, upsetting, or dream-crushing for her. She wasn't embarrassed, she had wanted to confess just the day before.

In the split second after Light had blurted out the truth, when everyone had been taking in the words, Misa's mind had begun to work. It ticked over faster than it had ever done before. Time had stopped just for a second and her mind had raced faster than it had ever done before. She had ideas, made connections, seen things in ways she didn't even fully understand. Misa supposed that that split second is what it must be like to have the mind of Light or L.

She had experienced a moment of clarity, and in it she had found her path. The information was new for the other, but not for her, yet she had run anyway. Because in that moment she had decided to use the situation as a test.

She had decided to test Light.

In her moment of brilliance she had seen that Kiyomi and L would run away. She decided that she too would run. Misa knew Light would want to go after all three but choose none immediately. He would calm, but not enough to make the 'logical' decision and go after her. Instead he would be governed by a mind of impulse and go after whoever felt the most 'right'.

Misa had figured out all this in that second.

A second later she had run, just as the others did. With the moment of peripeteia gone she forgot how she had reached the conclusion, her mind reverted and she was herself again. Misa knew she was testing Light, she knew how the test worked, but her memory of how she had come up with the plan was gone. Misa didn't linger on the thought but ran into the living room, turning the corner and stopping.

In between heavy breaths she listened, waiting to see what Light would do. _'Kiyomi went for her room, L went outside, I came in here. If Light is completely dedicated to me, to us, he'll follow me in here.'_ She waited and listened, it felt like an eternity before Light decided. She waited, hoping, praying, that he would make the right choice. She heard him run outside.

She groaned audibly, _'wrong choice, that was the wrong choice.'_ Misa took a second, feeling like someone was making a single slow tear through all the security ad certainty of her relationship. While she waited Mello shouted something at Near and a moment later there were the sounds of the albino running for the front door. _'It's going to rain.'_ Misa thought. _'I should stop him.'_ Instead she stayed, still searching for the will to walk. There were sounds of the front door opening, one, two, three, four, people storming out. She glanced through the window and saw Near disappear into the woods, followed a moment later by Neo.

Part of Misa yearned to know what had happened, but the test was not yet finished. Instead she followed the distant sounds of Light's voice. He called out L's name, over and over, getting no answer save for his echo. Misa followed him as he searched around the house, keeping just far enough back to stay out of site. When Light had found L and crawled into the space with him she had stayed a few meters away, listening to what they said.

She had followed him to Kiyomi's room and listened to what he had to say to her as well. The whole time she tried to reason Light's in-the-moment decision. _'L is his best friend so it makes sense that he'd check on him. But I'm his girlfriend, don't I mean more? Well he could be near certain that L wouldn't be angry, but he knew I wouldn't be either.'_ Misa was sure that Matt could come up with a perfectly reasonable explanation, in fact she was certain all of her friends could. Not for the first time she wished she was smarter, not miles behind all of her friends when it came to intelligence.

'Misa.'

Misa turned, she hadn't even realised she had stopped in thought. Light stood behind her, his warmest smile on his face. She smiled back.

'Hey cutie.' She said

'Cutie?' Light said with a laugh.

'Yeah, that's you.'

'I figured that much.'

'Oh, so you think you're cute do you?' Misa asked mockingly. 'I bit arrogant don't you think.'

'I'm told it's one of my worst qualities.'

They kissed briefly, a swift but powerful exchange with a little bit on tongue. Then they split and Light wrapped her in a hug, pulling her tight. She felt secure in his arms. But, she realised, not as secure as that night after the Halloween Ball.

'You're all good?' Light whispered in her ear.

Over his shoulder, Misa saw Kiyomi come out her room. The two girls made eye contact, Kiyomi's make-up looked fresh, had she been crying and reapplied it. Jealousy crossed Kiyomi's face and she turned quickly and fled into her room slamming the door after her.

'Yeah.' Misa said. 'All good.'

' _Almost.'_ Misa thought. _'I just can't shake that feeling, it doesn't make any sense. Light, why do I feel like I'm competing with L?'_

…

'The cake got burnt.' Neo said.

Her voice startled Matt, he had been sitting in the living room for the last hour. He'd been trying to distract himself, playing with his DS, PSP, even IPhone games. But he found that his mind would wonder and he would be looking out the window once more. He had a feeling that Mello and Near were about to take the plunge together. When they returned they wouldn't be Mello and Near but Mello _and_ Near.

And that made Matt feel so unbelievably lonely.

It was like he was losing his brother all over again. He knew that he wasn't really losing Mello and he wasn't really losing Near, but they wouldn't need him as much. For the last month every time they hadn't known what to do about each other they'd come to him, he'd felt important, like he had a place again.

Matt glanced at Neo, she had just come out of the shower, her regular garb of scarf and red jacket (which he guessed were still sopping wet) swapped out for a loose shirt and jeans. He wondered whether she felt the same way that he did. Matt knew that she and Near had a unique bond, a strange friendship, an exotic flower that had grown and bloomed with a brilliant speed. He didn't really understand it at all, but maybe she felt the same way he did, fearful at the thought of not having it anymore. He tried to read her, but her expression was guarded and neutral.

'Are you worried about them?' Neo asked.

'A little.' Matt said. 'No actually they'll be fine. I'm worried about us.'

'Us?' She asked.

Neo felt her heart beat faster, her breaths become slightly faster, her cheeks flush ever so slightly.

'What do we do now? Without them I mean.'

Neo felt her heart, her breaths, and her cheeks return to normal. Matt hadn't turned around.

'We help out L, wasn't that the plan?'

'And after that?' Matt asked. 'All I do is help people, what do I have at the end of the day?'

There was a brief silence, Neo hadn't heard Matt like this before. _'You're meant to be optimistic and clever, always helping, always smiling.'_

'Faber est quisque fortunae suae.' Neo said, the Latin words rolling off her tongue as smoothly as any other. She translated. 'Every man is architect of his own fortune.'

'Neo.' Matt said. 'I can never tell exactly, but I think you care a lot more than you let on.'

'I don't care Matt. I hate everything remember?'

'I don't think that's quite true.'

'I declare that everything you are saying is stupid.'

Neo then turned and quickly left the room, not giving Matt a backward glance. Matt just watched her go. _'She's been acting strangely for the last few days.'_ He thought about it, in that conversation alone she'd swung from supportive to indifferent to immature. _'She's not herself.'_ Matt wondered what it could be, was she as worried about losing Near as he was Mello? Or was it something else?

…

Mello walked back down the track, the rain had eased off and the thunder had passed. In his arms he carried Near. Near had insisted that now the thunder was gone he was fine and could walk, but Mello wasn't having any of it. He had scooped up Near, the small boy had protested but Mello wasn't going to put him down.

Now Near snuggled into Mello's chest, purring softly in content. He had both of his arms around Mello's neck and twisted a lock of Mello's straw blonde hair around his fingers. Neither of them said anything because there was nothing to be said.

Mello approached the end of the track and through the trees he could see the warm lights of the Lake House. They called to him like a lighthouse does to a passing ship, pulling him in. He pulled Near tighter, holding the albino as close as he could. Mello didn't want to ever let go, didn't want anything to change. The moment was perfect, and while they were in it, so were they.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Mello and Near, together at last! It's been a long time coming really, but it's happened! That's not the only thing that happened in this chapter, but when it comes down to it that's the headline event. Some of you may be wondering where the story goes from here? But really it's not at all done, theres still quite a few major plot lines to tie up! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Please leave your thoughts, and feel free to critique! I really like it when people critique me, it helps me improve as a writer! Stay tuned for the next chapter!_


	27. Chapter 24: Gather Ye Rosebuds

_A/N: Well here we are with another chapter! Do enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note, despite my constant offers to 'liberate' them of the rights, it must be such a heavy burder to have them after all._

* * *

Near woke slowly from a very deep sleep. He didn't want to believe that he was awake, his mind felt drowsy and sluggish. Near tried to open his eyes but his body protested, they were just so comfortable shut. It was like trying to pull apart two pieces of paper suck together with glue. So instead Near decided that any movement would do, he knew he couldn't lie there all day. So he wriggled slightly, his body resisted. He was lying on a mattress of clouds and it had perfectly shaped to his sleeping position as if it were a mould he had been slotted neatly into.

So instead Near lay there between the covers, enjoying the rosy warmth. His covers were pulled very tight, cocooned over him, keeping all the warmth in the bed. Near wondered whether Mello would find all this attempting to get out of bed pathetic. _'Mello...'_ Near thought about it, the events of the previous day were all a long blur. Somebody had taken his film reel of memories and split coffee all over them, it was difficult to make out any of the images.

The penny dropped.

The memories all flooded back in a single overwhelming wave over the small village that was his sleep-addled brain, he struggled not to get washed away. All the avoidance, making the cake, Mello shouting, him running from the house, the thunderstorm, getting lost in the woods, it was all there. He remembered the fear he had felt vividly. The rain had rolled down his back like prying fingers over soft flesh, like that mans fingers over his flesh. Near shivered involuntarily at the thought. The thunder had shouted him into submission and the lightning had cackled at his weakness. Near remembered how alone he had felt, how lost he had felt, how abandoned and totally rejected.

And then Mello had appeared, Near remembered that more vividly than anything else. The blonde had run into the woods and found him, Near didn't know how, but at that moment in time he had felt wanted again. Near remembered, sensing the blonde behind him. He remembered telling Mello about that night of five years gone, slipping his deepest held secret, making Mello his first ever confidant. He remembered how he hadn't turned to face the blonde, giving him the option to leave if he wanted nothing to do with him, Near wouldn't have blamed him. And he remembered Mello taking him, holding him, telling him that he was worth something, that he loved him.

He remembered Mello kissing him.

Near felt a small spasm of delight running through his body. _'That was all a dream, it must have been, that could not have happened.'_ Everything was just so blurry, all of yesterday felt so far off, maybe it was a dream. Near hoped it wasn't so. He vowed to go talk to Mello about it today. He would either find out it had been real or he would apologize and make it real, just without the break down.

Near opened his eyes, a bright winter sun shone through the window of his room, washing over him but failing to really warm him in any way. _'It must almost be cold enough for snow.'_ Near needed to know if had all been real or a dream, he had to find out soon. He rolled over, energy rushing into him. He just had to know.

His eyes went wide, Near gave a quite gasp.

Lying opposite, inches away, was proof that it had all been real.

Mello was resting his head on the other pillow, his entire expression serene and peaceful. It was the calmest Near had ever seen the blonde. He was always at some emotional extreme, angry until he was red in the face or happy to the point that his grin stretched from ear to ear. Never calm, never serene. But right now he was. Near found it enchanting.

Mello's eyes fluttered but Near's trance wasn't broken. The blondes whole demeanour was confused grogginess, as if his mind was having thoughts but they had yet to intersect with reality in any meaningful way. Everything about him was so calm, his emotions were like whittled wood, all the excess shaved away. Azure eyes met stormy eyes, Near felt his heart flutter, he saw Mello smirk slightly.

'Morning.' Mello mumbled.

'Good morning.' Near replied.

Near couldn't quite comprehend the situation he was in. _'Did I just spend a night in the same bed as Mello? How did I get here? I remember running from the house, and the kiss, he was carrying me back, and then… nothing. Well. Perhaps I'm still dreaming? That seems plausible. I could ask him, but if it's a dream he might give me the answer I want to hear so if I wake up it could be very anti-climactic, is it even possible to have such a self-aware dream? Maybe I should ask Mello how I got here, that seems like a logical start.'_

'How can you be thinking this early in the morning?' Mello groaned.

Near blinked. He realised that he was still facing Mello, having completely zoned out. He wondered just how long he had been like that.

'How did you know I was-'

'Thinking?' Mello said. 'It's in your eyes, they do this thing, I have an analogy for it with cogs and clockwork and stuff, I dunno, it's all weird and too early for this.'

Mello rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. Near surmised that he was not a morning person. Neo had once said something to him about sleep, 'some people wake up fast, some people wake up slow, and some wake up dead.' Near grinned wryly at that, obviously Mello was probably in the third category. By now Near was fairly certain that this wasn't a dream, the Mello in his dreams was far more energetic and… compliant to his wishes and esires (not that he would ever admit it, let alone tell someone that he dreamed of the blonde in that way). But still he had to be certain.

'Mello.'

'What Near?' Mello growled.

Near gulped, readied himself.

'Everything that happened yesterday… was it… real?'

'Yes, Near, it was real.'

Near sighed. It wasn't a sigh of relief. 'Relief', that word didn't exactly describe how he felt. If he was relieved he would have felt like there had been some great mass sitting in his stomach and it had just been washed out leaving a void space. Rather the mass of uncertainty was gone and in its place a bubbling mix of delight, joy, and love.

'But.' Near said, shifting onto his second issue about the night before. 'I can't remember anything after you carrying me. I know that we somehow got in here and went to bed, I just don't remember any details.'

Mello gave Near a stare. Near gulped, his eyes were severe and enquiring, as if they were examining every aspect of Near.

'You don't remember anything?' Mello asked slowly.

Near felt that mass begin to return.

'Nothing.' He said.

'So you don't remember any of…' Mello trailed off.

'What?' Near said.

'… the things we did?' Mello said, finishing his sentence.

Near shook his head, the mass grew a little larger. He wondered what Mello could be getting at, evaluating all the information he had and synthesising possible scenarios. One option seemed more probable than any other. Near blushed and his eyes went wide, _'did Mello and I…'_

'What things?' Near asked timidly.

'The, kissing, groping, you giving me a blowj-'

'I see.' Near said, his face redder than a tomato.

'You can't remember any of it?' Mello asked quietly.

Near shook his head.

Mello stared at him for several seconds. The black mass in Near's stomach was back, a cancerous growth of guilt, shame, and disbelief. Had he done all those things? Near couldn't believe it, he loved Mello deeply but he hadn't thought himself ready for that yet, surely Mello must have understood that, and yet it had happened. Mello would be so angry with him for forgetting as well.

Mello burst out laughing, Near blinked in astonishment. This was not the response he had been expecting.

'Mello…'

'You're such a fucking idiot Near.' Mello said. 'And I mean 'fucking' figuratively not literally.'

'I… um…' Near stuttered.

Mello rolled his eyes.

'When we got back you were really out of it, so I sent you in here to shower and change while I made you some toast. You ate it, fell asleep, and a few hours later I crawled in next to you. That's it.'

Near grabbed his pillow and threw it at Mello.

'I hate you.' He laughed.

'Watch it, I can still break up with you.' Mello said, also laughing.

'You've spent to much time around Neo.'

'You need to learn to take a joke.' Mello retorted.

'I can take a joke.'

'Tell that to the pillow.'

They both laughed again, and then fell back onto the bed, neither ready to actually get up quite yet. Near felt elated, there was a swarm butterflies loose in his stomach, they made him feel giddy. This was the first thing that he and Mello had done together as a couple, there was no confessions, or kissing in the rain, or acts of romantic valour. He and Mello had just been behaving like a regular couple, and he liked it. At that point Near couldn't possibly think how he was going to top that experience, everything just seemed perfect.

The best part was the day hadn't even started yet.

'Well we're awake now.' Mello said. 'Might as well do something.'

Near nodded and moved to get out the bed. He was half out from under the sheets when he felt Mello's warm hand grab his, stopping him mid-movement. Near turned to ask why Mello had stopped him but before the first syllable had been uttered he was interrupted by a kiss. He kissed back, it was different from the night before. Obviously it was drier, as romantic as kissing in the rain was, you also tended to get mouthfuls of rainwater. But there were other things too, Mello seemed more assertive now. Last night he hadn't had Near, they were on the cusp and so he had moved with caution. But now Near was his, for sure, one hundred percent, together with him, and his kissing reflected it. There was more passion and power, Mello was clearly trying to set himself up as the dominant one, and Near was in no mind to reject.

They finally broke apart.

'I thought you said-' Near began.

'Shut it you nerd.' Mello whispered. 'I said, that we might as well do something. I don't think I mentioned getting out of bed.'

Near smiled and leant in for another kiss.

…

That evening they all sat around in the living room watching a movie. Misa sat next to Light, their hands intertwined with each others. On the other large couch sat the latest official couple, Mello and Near. The albino had his head in the blondes lap, with the older boy twisting the snowy locks of the younger around his finger slowly. The others were all scattered around the room, finding spots for themselves on the single chairs, in the case of Kiyomi and Neo, on the floor, as for Matt, or perched on the arm of chair like a nestling bird, L.

Misa smiled, the day before had been such a mess, but everything seemed to have resolved itself. Honestly, none of them could have hoped for a better result. The night before they had all suspected what had happened when Mello had returned to the house with Near in his arms, rain soaked and tired, the image of a protagonist with their damsel. Misa giggled at the thought, Near wouldn't like being thought of as a damsel, but when it came down to it he really was. Then Mello had gone and tucked himself in next to Near and everyone got the confirmation to their suspicions.

At long last they were official.

' _It took them long enough.'_ Misa thought. _'But then again who am I to judge, Light and I took almost as long.'_ Misa smiled, unlike Near she didn't have any issue Light's damsel, she was happy where she was, and she was happy with him. She leant on Light's shoulder, resting her head at an angle.

She closed her eyes, letting her mind wonder. She felt safe there, Light was her protector and guardian. Misa was the scentless Camellia, but with Light she felt more aromatic than ever. Her thoughts drifted across many a land. Time moved on, the movie continuing, and Misa slowly began to slip into a sleep.

She blinked herself awake, _'Damn, I always fall asleep in movies!'_ She shifted slightly, something was different, her headrest wasn't as comfortable as before. Misa glanced up at Light, he was facing in a different direction, his entire body twisting as a result. Misa sighed and followed his gaze, it ended on L.

She had to stop herself from gasping. _'L, why him, why is Light looking at him?'_ She thought back to the day before, how Light had run after L rather than her, failing the test. Misa tried to shake the thought, it made no sense, how could Light possibly be even remotely interested in L. She listed the reason: _'He's weird and introverted, such a know it all, wait, Light would like that… He's not very good looking I suppose, but I guess some people would like it. Oh, he never shows any emotions, he's such a robot! What am I saying! Light is with me, he's straight, that's all I need. Right?'_

Misa squeezed Light's hand, no response. She told herself that he had just started day dreaming, that he had zoned out completely. _'But then why would he be staring at L?'_ She squeezed his hand again and he looked at her. After a slight pause he smiled and kissed her. _'A pause, was he returning to reality, or was he hesitating?'_

The kiss was soft, barely even a touch. _'Is he teasing me, or is that reluctance?'_ Misa's thoughts began to derail, hey mind racing with thoughts and fears. _'Maybe he does like L? And if he does where does that leave me? I'm just a Camellia, L must seem so fragrant in comparison.'_

The movie had finished, Misa hadn't even noticed. Everyone was standing to leave, bidding each other goodnight and tramping off to their rooms with heavy feet. She noticed Mello and Near go into the same room again, even in her panic she still had enough time to think they were cute. Light stood to leave, but she took his hand, instructing him to wait with the single action.

He did, looking at her with a raise eyebrow.

'Yes?'

She sighed. _'I'm just imagining things right? He loves me, I know he does! I'm not just a Camellia, I'm not.'_

'We're all ok right?' She asked.

Light smiled.

'Of course we are.'

'I love you.' Misa said.

Light smiled and leant in and kissed her. It was long and slow, each exploring every sensation the other had to offer. After a while Light pulled away and gave her a small smile, _'is that a smirk or sadness?'_

'Good night, Misa Amane.'

She smiled as she watched him go, not even realising what he hadn't said.

…

The next few days at the Lake House were devoid of all the strain that had riddled the first two of their six-day stay. Before there had been the uncomfortable silence between Mello and Near and the secrecy of Light and Misa. But now the former were official and the latter were taking no great strides to hide their relationship.

The tension had left the air and with it the bad weather. Overnight the clouds had fled the horizon making way for pale winter skies. Whilst winter was still technically a month away it had already arrived, Mother Nature feeling no need to abide by arbitrary human dating. Every morning the ground was layer with a thick frost and the days only grew as hot as cold autumn days.

This did not, however, deter any of the Lake House inhabitants from enjoying the clear weather. Now they spent as much time outside as inside, lazing around the property, fishing in the lake, or taking walks down the road to the corner store and through the woods on one of the longer trails. Matt had even tried swimming in the lake on the third day but was out ten seconds after dive bombing in. The others had warned him, he had not listened, he had paid the price, emerging with shivers that looked near hyperthermic.

The two couples were almost inseparable. The cooking schedule had to be re-written simply because they refused to do anything without their significant other. Matt observed the two couples eagle eyed, fascinated by their respective differences.

He noticed that Light and Misa were the far more 'expressive' of the two couples. They had no problem with being seen kissing, flirting, and groping in public. Neo had even started up a 'kissing jar'. Every time any of the 'unclaimed' people, as Neo called them, at the Lake House saw Misa and Light engaging in public displays of affection a dollar was added to the jar. In one day they had thirty-eight dollars in the jar. Matt asked Neo why she called single people 'unclaimed' rather than single. She had explained that:

'Relationships are like owning something. You claim it and then it's yours. I will treat any person I never get with in such a manner. They will be my slave, they will be treated a such. They will be my bitch, I will most likely torture them and may or may not use them as a vessel for any demon I chose to summon to this mortal plane.'

Matt had to confess that while Neo had said that with her terrifying 'I'm totally serious, test me' expression he had found it a little hot. Except for the demon summoning. That really was just terrifying.

Near and Mello, however, did not warrant a 'kissing jar', as their relationship was in an entirely different vein to the other couple. They seemed to save their physical displays of affection for private moments. Instead in public they came across as far more sweet. They did everything together and just seemed to enjoy the others company. They held hands so much that Matt began to wonder if they had accidentally glued them together. Whenever they were sitting around somewhere Near would more than likely have his head in Mello's lap and the blonde would be twirling a lock of the albino's hair.

Matt knew that Mello was taking it slowly for Near, letting the albino enjoy the 'first relationship' experience and all that entailed. But he also knew that the blonde wasn't one for waiting around for long, it had only taken a week with Sophie before they had slept together. Matt wondered how long it would be before Mello and Near did the deed together, he just couldn't picture Near actually being comfortable in that situation. But Mello being Mello meant it would have to happen some day.

And so the week churned on, most days nobody up before nine, and most of the day would be spent in a long montage of slothfulness. Usually a few people might get together and do something, like Neo organising another hike through the forest of skeleton trees on the third day, or the tournament in the games room Matt set up on the fourth.

On the fifth day Light suggested canoeing in the Lake. And so just after lunch he, Misa, Mello, and Near went down and began paddling around. Their oars dipped into the icy mirror, every stroke causing a shockwave of ripples. They seemed to be having a good time, their constant movement keeping them warm even if it was a very cold day. Misa and Light were the more harmonious of the couples, steering their canoe with precision and poise while Mello and Near fumbled clumsily, not that they seemed to care all that much.

L nested on the patio silently watching the pairs paddle around the lake. Their laughter rolled up and over the Lake House, only further emphasising L's own silence. Matt had been watching L closely over the recent days, trying to formulate a plan. In the end Matt had given up, he couldn't just push L toward Light like he had done for Mello and Near, he didn't seem willing to take the first step. There was also the issue of Misa being Light's girlfriend, but Matt had the sneaking suspicion that problem would sort itself out.

So instead Matt decided on a direct approach, enlisting the help of Neo, whose strange mood swings had not lessened. And that was why they were currently sneaking up behind L on tip-toes, trying not to alert him.

'I know you are there Matt.' L said. 'You too Neo.'

'Aw man L.' Matt whinged. 'We were going to scare you.'

'Not with that approach.' L commented.

'I'll skin you if you don't shut it.' Neo snapped.

Matt went wide eyed with shock. That outburst had really come out of nowhere, and to a greater or lesser extent, was unprovoked. Matt wanted to tell her to calm down, but he also treasured his life so decided instead to leave it.

'So why do you want to talk to me?' L asked, ignoring Neo's outburst.

Matt leapt at the opportunity, seizing it before Neo got a chance to make another remark. He sat next to L, slotting his legs through the railing and letting them dangle in the air. Neo sat on the other side, choosing to remain silent for the time being.

'I just wanted to ask how it's going.' Matt said.

'Oh.' L said. 'Well, I suppose.'

'That's good to hear.' Matt said. 'Enjoying the week off?'

'It is very relaxing.'

'Which day has been your favou-'

Matt cut off, Neo was bashing her head against the railing loudly. Both he and L looked at her, waiting. She stopped, and starred back.

'Oh, so you've decided to stop playing twenty questions now? Well that a relief.' She said.

'Neo…' Matt said.

'Well if you're finished.' Neo continued, ignoring Matt. 'Then why don't we get straight to the point. L what are you going to do about your feelings for Light?'

L went wide-eyed, the large dark marks underneath making him look like a racoon caught in headlights. Matt groaned inwardly and regretted bringing Neo along for this mission. He wasn't sure what was getting at her but he should have known better than to bring her along on an expedition that required any level of tact.

'Light… I… ah… what a-are you talking… a-about?' L said.

'Hold up.' Matt said trying to calm everything down, this conversation was being derailed all to quickly.

'No.' Neo snapped. 'Don't 'hold up', that's not going to do anything. L, what are you going to do about your feelings for Light?'

'I d-don't have feelings for…'

'Don't bullshit me.' Neo said. 'It's so obvious, don't be such a child.'

'Neo!' Matt said aghast.

L tried to form a coherent response but he couldn't manage anything more than strange mumbling and a string of stutters. This did not impress Neo. Her stare darkened, which did not help the nervous L, who stopped producing sounds altogether and just opened and closed his mouth soundlessly.

'Stop fooling around L!' Neo shouted. 'Are you a man?'

'Neo!' Matt shouted, stopping her. 'Red card.'

He pulled a bright red card from his pocket and handed it to Neo. She took it in disbelief.

'You're sidelining me?' She said. 'And why do you even have this?'

'Yes, you're being awful.' Matt replied. 'And I have it because I do.'

'Fine.' Neo said, standing and walking to a different spot on the patio. 'But just know that when I start the robot wars I'll make sure you're the first to die.'

Matt ignored her and turned back to L who was still silenced by terror. He gave him a few minutes to recover. They watched the two pairs paddle around on the lake beneath them, the scene being occasionally punctuated by a loud huff from the corner where Neo was sitting.

'No point beating around the bush.' Matt said.

'That was what I was trying to do!' Neo said from her corner.

'Shut it Neo, you're still on a red card!' Matt recomposed himself. 'Lets start with the basics, you like Light?'

L nodded.

'In a more than friends way?'

Another nod.

'Were you planning to do anything about it?'

L shook his head.

'Why not?'

L thought about this. Matt waited. L had considered his reason many times. There were a lot of factors involved, he wanted Light, but his head kept telling him no.

'Because he's happy.' L said. 'And I don't deserve to take that from him.'

'What about you?' Matt asked. 'Are you happy?'

L considered this. He reached the conclusion that he wasn't, but why? He had lived like this for several years and always been satisfied, so what had changed? His attraction to Light obviously. Did it mean that much to him? Did the brunette influence his happiness so much? He wanted to say no, but it seemed he did.

L shook his head.

'So then why won't you try, for your sake?' Matt asked.

'Because I couldn't live with myself if I took Light's happiness for my own sake. He and Misa are both happy, and that should be enough for me.'

Matt smiled at this, L was so genuine. It was rare to meet someone still so virtuous and kind, but L it seemed was one of those people. He wanted to help the raven haired boy, but could see where he was coming from. Maybe he was even right.

'L-' Neo said, walking over.

'Red card.' Matt said.

'Shut it.' Neo said. 'I have something to add.'

The aggression from earlier had dissipated so Matt let her go. He wondered where the anger had gone, and more importantly, where it had come from in the first place. Her outbursts were becoming a little bit of a worry. She sat next to L and began to speak. Her voice was softer and more lyrical, the voice she used only for poem recital.

'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,

Old time is still a-flying;

And this same flower that smiles today

To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun

The Higher he's a-getting,

The sooner his race be run,

And nearer he's to setting.

The age is best which is the first,

When youth and blood and warmer;

But being spent, the worse and worst

Time still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,

And, while ye may, go marry:

For having lost but once your prime,

You may forever tarry.'

Neo finished by rolling off the 'r's in 'tarry' into a short silence. The words and their meanings hung in the air. Matt's heart was beating like a drum of war, he hadn't even noticed it until Neo finally finished. But in the silence following her recital they amplified, the noise ringing through his ears. _'Where did this come from, all she did was read a poem, nothing new there.'_ Matt shook his head in confusion, saving those thoughts for another time.

'L.' Neo said. 'We live but once, and our lives are short. Gather ye rosebuds.'

Matt couldn't quite believe that this wise sounding girl had been shouting down L only moments earlier. Yet here she was. L looked at Neo with kind but sad eyes and shook his head again.

'I couldn't do that to him.' He said.

'Ok.' Matt said. 'The offers open, just think about it.'

L nodded and left to go inside, leaving Matt and Neo outside. Matt thought about Neo's words. He knew they were directed at L, but he couldn't help but feel they were meant for him too. As she had recited the line 'Then be not coy, but use your time' she had given him a small glance. It was strange, she didn't glare or scowl like normal, she smiled. It had been a quite smile, had she meant what Matt thought she had meant? _'But what do I even think she meant?'_ Matt asked himself. He decided to find out.

'Neo.' He said. 'Have you ever thought about taking your own advice?'

'And what, gather my rosebuds?'

'Go after what you want I mean.'

'I'll tell you what I want.' Neo said.

Matt breathed in with anticipation. He didn't even realise he had done it.

'To be left alone.' Neo snarled. 'I hate everyone, remember?'

And with that she stood and stormed back inside.

' _And there she goes with the mood swings again.'_ Matt though. _'I wonder what's getting at her, she's not normally like this.'_ He decided to keep an eye on her. He had no intent to doggedly pursue her, but no one else seemed to pay her much attention, so one watchful eye couldn't hurt.

Matt sighed and looked down at the Lake and watched the two couples paddle around the Lake, causing ripples like flies bouncing over puddles. He smiled at Near and Mello, he couldn't help but feel happy for them. _'They finally sorted it out, they really deserved it.'_ Once again his thoughts drifted to the fact that Mello was now Near's. _'Will I ever find that?'_ Matt wondered.

'Gather ye rosebuds.' He whispered to himself.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well that Chapter was much more subdued, especially after the intense last chapter! But there are still many a thing that is going on, and quite a bit of drama left (evening though theres only a quatar left to go!) Anyway, please tell me your thoughts with a review, all feedback (postive and negative) is welcome!_

 _Note: The next chapter might take a little longer than usual, I'm totally busy the next three days so there won't be much time to write it. So sorry if theres a longer wait than normal._


	28. Memories: Blue Rose

_A/N: Well it's another flashback chapter! I_ _apologise but this will have to do for now, I struggled to find the time to even write this, so I hope you guys enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

 _The air was as crisp as freshly ironed clothes and cold as mint. Tendrils of steam rose from the lake, weaving slowly through the air before slowly tearing themselves apart. The had not risen but light was starting to dawn over the hills, the sky beginning to bloom blue and ignite with stray beams of orange and purple._

 _Napoleon Evelyn-Jane Oatfield stepped gingering over dew covered grass, the collar on her red jacket turned up to protect her bare neck from the cold. Down by the lake sat a woman, perched on a beautiful wooden bench carved from the trunk of a tree. She looked over the lake, throwing breadcrumbs over toward hungry ducks. Napoleon sat next to her, watching the ducks flap their wings and beg for more._

' _You're up early.'_

' _So are you.'_

' _I couldn't sleep.'_

' _Neither could I.'_

 _They sat there for several minutes silently. The woman ran out of bread and the ducks soon gave up quacking for more and resumed their mindless paddle through the water. Napoleon shivered._

' _Dear me.' The woman said. 'You'll catch a cold if you stay like that.'_

' _I'm fine mother.'_

' _Don't be daft.'_

 _The woman, Napoleons mother, pulled a grey scarf of from around her neck and wrapped it around Napoleons. She was gentle in her movements, affectionate and motherly, taking her time and imbuing her every action with care._

' _You should keep it, you're too sick.' Napoleon said._

' _You're to young to be sick.' Napoleons mother replied. 'Ten years old is no time to be weighed down by a cold that you got from not wearing enough clothes.'_

 _Napoleon looked up at her mother. She barely looked like the woman she once knew. Her skin was pasty and pale, lacking the olive vibrancy that it had once had and that Napoleon herself had inherited. Indeed, everything about her seemed aged and dying, except for her eyes, which still glimmered with the youth of a child._

' _Mum, please-' Napoleon said, going to unwrap the scarf._

' _No.' Her mother said, placing a frail hand over Napoleons to stop her. 'You are young, revel in you life, take that from a woman who is dying.'_

 _Napoleon looked away as her mother spoke the last word, averting her eyes as if doing that would somehow hide away the unhappy truth. Her mother took Napoleons hand, her skin felt clammy not at all like how it had once been._

' _Listen to me Napoleon-'_

' _I'm not Napoleon.'_

' _I don't understand.'_

' _I'm calling myself Neo from now on and everyone else will too.'_

' _Neo?'_

' _It's my initials, Napoleon Evelyn-Jane Oatfield. Neo.'_

' _Why would you want a different name?'_

' _Because I hate the one I have now.'_

 _Her mother was taken aback by the words but not surprised. It was not the first time this issue had come up and she doubted that it would be the last. Napoleon's father had wanted a boy to inherit their international corporate empire, but he had gotten a girl instead. Yet he had seen fit to ignore that fact and give her a boys name anyway. Napoleon had been ever thankless at that decision._

' _I know you hate it but you shouldn't hide from it.' Her mother said._

' _Why not? I'm Neo and Neo means new. This is the new me, I can be whoever I want to be, do whatever I want to do. I'll walk this world alone without a care in the world.'_

' _Napoleon…'_

' _I'm Neo.'_

' _Napoleon.' Her mother repeated firmly. 'You can't change things like that.'_

' _But why not?' Said Napoleon._

' _Because you're betraying who you are, and you're betraying everyone who cares about you.'_

' _But dad gave me the name and he doesn't care about me at all.'_

' _He does, he just doesn't always know how to show it.'_

 _Napoleon fell silent._

' _I know you don't always see eye to eye with your father, but he does care about you. You just have to let him, and you can't do that if you reject the identity he sees you through, you can't change your name.'_

 _Silence. Neither one spoke for several minutes, instead they watched as the sky continued to brighten. The dawn sun could only be minutes away. Most of the ducks had gone, the Lake was clear and beautiful, the mist creating a translucent veil that would glitter in the sunlight but right now was ghostly. Napoleons mother shivered, she began rubbing her arms to try and keep warm._

' _Please take the scarf back.' Napoleon said quietly._

' _I shall not. It's yours now. A gift from me, so you have to keep it.'_

 _Napoleon fell silent again._

' _I think we've talked around the issue enough.' Napoleon's mother said._

 _She took Napoleons hand again, gripping it as tightly as she could. It was difficult, her muscles immediately began to ache and her arms wanted to tremble, but she held tight anyway. She knew she had to be strong and reassuring._

' _I am dying Napoleon.' She said. 'It's a fact, I have days left, we both know it. You can't hide from a reality that hurts, you can't wish away pain. If you do, if you try, then all you are doing is giving in. Be strong, be brave, do these things for me when I am gone. But most importantly, stay true to yourself. I know your father wants you to become his little heiress and take over the company. But you want to study Latin, read and write, and that's what you should do. He won't say, but he will understand, just as long as you don't shut him out.'_

 _Napoleon listened. Every word resonated within her, their meanings rippling and building until there were waves of emotion building inside of her. She struggled but she kept them in, she had never been one to have emotional outbursts and she wasn't about to start now. Even though she didn't show it, her mother knew what she was feeling, and she smiled._

' _You care so much.' She said. 'You are kind and gentle, never change that, don't ever become hard or tough. Stay gentle.'_

 _The sun had risen, the Lake was sparkling into a bright and brilliant life. The mist had already begun to thin under the heat, but what was still there twinkled like a night sky. A rose had sprouted next to bench, a lone red beauty in a vast expanse of green. Napoleon picked it and sighed._

' _I wish it was blue.' She said._

 _Her mother took it and smelt it. 'Why?'_

' _Because blue roses don't really exist.' Napoleon explained. 'They are a symbol for the impossible, in life and love. If a found one piece of the impossible here, then maybe I could find pieces of the impossible in other places too.'_

 _Her mother nodded, understanding what her words were really about._

' _No rose lives forever in this world, but blooms for eternity in our hearts and memories.'_

'Mum…'

'Don't be sad that I may die, be happy that I lived, and that I got to spend ten years of my life with you. Be strong, be brave, stay close to your father, he will need you, don't change who you are, never stop being kind, and don't change your name.'

'Why not?'

'Because the name we choose is a promise we make.'

'I...'

'Promise me these things, be Napoleon, not Neo.'

The clouds were a beautiful spectrum of dark blues through to light pinks and rosy reds, the colour erupting when exposed to the sun. The lake reflected this beautiful flowerbed of colour, a perfect mirror for a perfect horizon.

'I promise.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: And there's some backstory for Neo! As a character I felt like she had a lot of elements to her personality, but nothing that really tied it all together in the same way I've done with Matt, Mello, Near (and to a lesser extent) the others. Anyway, got of topic a bit there, please leave a review with thoughts and_ _critique (a big thank you to the people who've been leaving critiques, its really great because it helps me improve as a writer, so keep it coming)! And stay tuned for the next chapter, I've got something 'fun' planned for the upcoming chapters…_


	29. Chapter 25: The Last Rose of Summer

_A/N: Thank you for waiting patiently for this chapter, as you know I've been super busy with acting but that's done now (it went well) and I managed to get this out! Think of this as a second part to the last chapter in some senses._

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

'Hey mum, it's been a while hasn't it?'

Neo knelt in front of a square stone that sat half buried in rich dark dirt. It was simple in design, cut from a beautiful sandy limestone that stood out against the muted colours of the winter landscape. The stone was smooth and finely cut, hand made six years previously by the best stonemason money could buy. The only feature was lettering, etched in a titled gothic calligraphy. It read:

In Loving Memory

Ariadne Gaia Oatfield

1975-2006

"Thus Kindly I Scatter"

A bush of flowers from which sprouted sunrise red and pink roses surrounded the monument. They bloomed around, framing the stone with colour and natural beauty, warm and kind against the harsh cold of winter. They were eternal roses, genetically altered to be in season always, Neo had picked them herself six years previously.

'Sorry I haven't come by in a while.' Neo said. 'But I've been busy with school. You understand right? Oh, speaking of school I came first in Latin last year and I'm topping the class this year as well. No real surprise there, I mean, you taught me everything you knew, which was a lot, but still, I know you would be proud.'

Neo allowed herself a small smile as she spoke the last sentence. _'Something mum would be proud of, that's nice.'_ It was a freezing day and even though it was mid-afternoon she was still had the breath of a chain smoker. The sky threatened snow, and Neo couldn't say that she would object. She had always loved the snow, the way it blanketed the land. All the imperfection in the world would be hidden in a sheet of white, and if it were to come extraordinarily early this year then all the better.

She tugged at her scarf, readjusting it slightly. Partially to keep herself warm, partially due to the awkwardness she felt. Neo didn't like doing this, she felt ridiculous talking to a gravestone and a decomposing body buried roughly six feet beneath. Still Dr Freelander had recommended it five years ago when she had been at her lowest and she'd done so every year since. She hesitated, steeled herself, continued.

'I'm glad you can be proud of my Latin scores because I haven't done much else for you to be taking pride in.' Neo confessed. 'If there's a heaven and you're watching then you know what I'm talking about, and if there isn't and you really are gone for good, well, never mind.'

Neo sighed, the words Dr Freelander said five years ago rang through her head as if he was speaking them right there and then. 'Emotions denied are emotions deferred Neo.' She knew she shouldn't be dancing around her problems, especially not here; she had an audience that couldn't ridicule her. And yet she felt more ashamed about who she was in front of one dead woman than she did with anyone else. Neo took in a breath of cold air, _'don't hide Neo'_ , she exhaled.

'You know what I'm talking about, but Dr Freelander says I should tell you anyway. So… I dunno, I feel like all I've done is let you down, my memory of you that is. Do you remember those promises I made that day, you know, the one before you died? It was beautiful wasn't it, the air was crisp and raw, the cold made you feel alive didn't it? You were feeding the ducks and there was a beautiful rose and the clouds were kaleidoscopic. And I'm getting off topic now…'

Neo sighed again. She knew why it was so hard, she was facing all the guilt and anger she'd let accumulate over the last six years. She had been deferring her feeling for so long that the bank had finally decided to call in the loan. She just wished her mother was here rather than a memory, a whisper floating on the wind. She wished her mother hadn't made her promise all those things six years ago. She wished a lot of things, but she knew there was no point waiting for a blue rose to bloom. _'Wishes are dreams, and dreams are pretend. This is the world I'm in, she's gone, I'm here, I have to deal with it.'_

'Back to the point. I changed my name mum.' Neo said the words quickly, her throat felt strained as if she were involuntarily trying to withhold the words. 'I know what you said, I know what I said, but I did it anyway. All those promises I made, I broke every single one of them.'

Now that she had made the first admission the others were beginning to flow. A dam of guilt had been building up for the last half a dozen years and it had finally broken. The pressure and strain she had been feeling was being relived, a burden lifted, but it still hurt as it swept downstream.

'I became rough and harsh, so I failed there I guess. I also haven't seen dad in a while. I know that you said we would need each other but the day you died he shut me out. I tried, I really did, but I didn't know what to do, how to talk to him, that was always your area of expertise. I dunno, I just sort of gave up I guess. We've only seen each other eight times in the last six years. The total amount of days wouldn't even fill one page on a calendar. And yes, before you ask, that's including February.'

Neo picked one of the flowers from the bush and began to spin it in her hand, watching as the colour blurred and the petals ruffled. She stared down at the flower, unable of even bringing herself to look at the gravestone, she felt somehow unworthy. Neo knew that her mother would have told her she was being ridiculous but she was dead and therefore had no say left in the matter as far as Neo was concerned. Neo felt lost, for years now she'd been playing the part of the harsh and uncaring loner, she had friends but she held them at bay. For whose sake, their's? Hers? _'Have I been this person for so long that I can't remember how to be who I really am? Have I been hiding, mourning? She was dead that morning, I never got to say goodbye or tell her I loved her just one more time. Maybe Napoleon died with her and in her place Neo, 'new' was born.'_

'Although, it's not all bad.' Neo said quietly. 'Remember all those people I told you about last year? My friends from Wammy's? Well they're all good, really good actually, it's been quite a year so far. L is much the same, and so is Kiyomi I guess, but I don't know her that well, she's a complicated one. Also, Light and Misa got together. I know, I don't think it makes an awful lot of sense, but if they're happy then who am I to stop them, even if I think that their relationship is so unsteady it'll collapse in the next month, but lets not go there. Oh there's a new kid too, we call him Near and he's really great. He's as quiet as L, as strange as Matt, but as smart as Light. I really like him, he's unique. And what's more he and Mello got together, they don't seem like they should work on the surface, Mello being a rage monster and Near being calm and introspective, but it does somehow, I think they're really made for each other.'

Neo looked back up at the gravestone. She knew that if her mother had been there then she would have been asking one question that Neo would have strived to avoid at all costs. But somehow, in this secluded corner of the Lake House property, she felt more open about it. The tree's were centuries old and held countless secrets in their ancient bones. They wouldn't be telling anyone the things she said.

'I know what you want me to tell you.' Neo said. 'But you also know I'm not good at understanding or explaining my emotions, at least not in English. So if it's ok with you, I'll say it another way. Puto ego diligam eum. Scio ego diligam eum. Totus. Plenius. Non est viro huic me melius meretur. Nescio quid agere aut quid respondebit mihi. Sed ego diligam eum. Et inde invenire viam.I think we both know who I was talking about.'

'I don't.'

Neo turned, standing a few meters back was Matt, leaning against the trunk of a bone bare tree. His red hair was a bright contrast against the muted forest colours, a brilliant shade against the earthy browns and winter greys.

'So.' He said. 'Want to explain?'

…

Near and Mello sat opposite each other in silence, intense looks of concentration written on their faces. They ignored the noise Misa, Light, and L were making around the pool table, joking banter and Misa's shrill laughter. Every sound and sensation was blocked out. The colours of the room warranted no second glance, the detail of the different game tables and the walls that were the colour of tea with a splash of milk thrown in all shut out. The scents were paid no mind, they did not care that the room smelt of pinewood, green tea, and cocoa beans.

No, all these things were ignored for Near and Mello had something far more fascinating and important to focus on. They had been in complete silence for almost half an hour, barely moving, save only more Mello's constant eating of chocolate. Every movement was analysed, every decision scrutinised. Both were fully focused on the other, or more specifically, both were fully focused on others next potential move.

They were playing chess.

They were hidden in the corner of the games room, huddled over a small square board the colour of coffee and cream. It had been Near's idea to play. For a week Mello had been making all their decisions bur today he let Near pick what he wanted to do. Near confessed that he missed playing games, he hadn't had time in the last month between their assessment and getting together with Mello. He did play games to help himself think but he missed playing games just for the sake of playing games. Mello had agreed and they had settled on chess.

Near wouldn't say it, but he found this mental challenge far more stimulating than any physical action with Mello. It had been the reason he'd fallen for him in the first place. Near had first grown to love the blondes mind and then slowly become accustomed to his personality and physicality. Now all three elements contributed to the feelings he had, but not were as crucial as this. The psychology of it all, the pure intellectual stimulation that Mello presented to Near. It was all about the game. And by just being with Mello Near was winning.

Until now Mello had been firmly in control with the relationship, the few days it had been official he had held dominance, making choices and leading Near around. Near was fine with this arrangement. They both knew that Mello was the more assertive and experienced of the two, it seemed logical. But Near didn't want to let Mello forget that he had power and say as well, and this game was a perfect way to do it.

Near had been in control from the very first move and Mello knew it. Mello was an aggressive player, playing white and within four moves having taken the first piece. Near had expected this. It was exactly as he had hoped. Near had been the regional chess champion in primary school and he had destroyed aggressive players, crushing them as easily as an ant. Actually no, even easier than an ant, they offered more resistance by comparison. Mello probably would have said Near was 'getting off' on the game if he had known what the albino was thinking, he just loved making plans crumble.

Near had a style that he called 'Spidering'. He let his opponent attack, beckoning them to do so, tempting them with seemingly easy pieces. But he supported every piece with another, if a pawn got taken then there were three other pieces nearby that could take the offending piece. Each of those pieces supported other pieces and were supported in return. It was impossible for Near's opponent to take a piece without losing one and setting off a chain of taking where they would ultimately lose.

Mello was beginning to see this, Near was weaving a web and he was the fly. He'd gotten to close to dodge so he had to tear a way through. _'It doesn't matter what move I make Near has already accounted for it, so I have to make him miss something, distract him.'_ Mello looked Near in the eyes, behind those grey iris' cogs were turning. His machine like mind was in action and Mello knew that he would have to do something drastic to make it stop.

He had an idea, took a large bite out of his chocolate, the action was totally silent. He made the obvious move, the one Near would have predicted. Near went to move his queen, picking up the piece. Before he put it down Mello spoke, quite loudly, a machiavellian grin on his face:

'So Neo told me you're thinking of becoming a cross dresser.'

Near went wide eyed, his cheeks rushing red. Light, Misa, and L all turned at once, mouths agape. Near dropped his queen, two squares too early, right next to one of Mello's pawn's. Mello's grin widened, Near hadn't even realised he'd mis-moved, his play had worked. Near tried to put together a word, but all he did was make a strange 'wa-wa' sound. Finally he managed to articulate a comprehensible word.

'W-what?'

Mello moved his pawn, took Near's queen, the web was starting to come loose already, he had control. Near stared at Mello, still aghast. Mello loved that expression, it was so adorably genuine. _'As if Neo wasn't going to tell me, she stirs things up whenever she's given the opportunity.'_ Still Near seemed to have not figured this out and his grey eyes did look very beautiful when he was shocked. Mello shook his head mentally, _'Not the time Mel's, winning first, swooning later.'_

'Your move Near.'

'Oh.' Near said distractedly.

He moved another piece, his black-square bishop, without much thought. He put it out of position, leaving it in a corner for Mello to entrap and make virtually useless. Mello did so, Near's left flank was now exposed and that meant his king was in danger. Mello predicted that he could have check-mate in ten moves, maybe less if he kept Near this distracted.

'You're taking up cross dressing?' Light asked Near.

The albino whipped his head around, not even noticing Mello taking one of his central pawns, putting his entire set up in danger. The other three had stopped whatever they were doing at the pool table and instead were gathered around the ever-reddening Near. Light was calm and questioning, L hunched and enquiring, Misa standing tall and demanding.

'Well I w-was… you know, maybe thinking, I guess, about it as a… possibility.' Near stammered.

'Your move Near.' Mello whispered.

Near darted a quick move, not looking particularly at what he was doing. Mello smiled, _'you thought you were going to have this one over me didn't you? No, no, I'm the dominant one, you're the submissive one, just remember that later on…'_ Any attention Near was going to give the game was diverted when Misa gasped loudly. _'Perfect, Misa will be the final nail in the coffin…'_

'Oh my God!' She squealed. 'Can I help you buy dresses and teach you to do make up? Oh please, please, please, you'll be like a little sister!'

She wrapped near up in a big hug, the others all smirked at how uncomfortable Near looked. The albino was seriously reconsidering his consideration of this possibility. But to Misa it was all but set in stone, Near would take up cross dressing, she would help him buy clothes, they would do their make up together (neither Kiyomi nor Neo would) and she wouldn't give up until Near had said yes. _'Keep it up Misa, three more moves and the victory is mine.'_ Mello moved his knight, taking Near's left rook, leaving the albino in a precarious position.

'This is certainly unexpected.' L commented.

'He did look cute during the Halloween ball.' Light said.

'True.' L agreed.

'Please, please, please…' Misa said.

'I… ah… well…'

'Your move Near.'

Near moved, again he was distracted, giving little focus to the game. His web was all but destroyed now. Mello moved, tearing it apart even further. He didn't require much concentration now, Near was so unfocused he could probably win this game whilst half asleep. _'He is really very hot when he's flustered.'_ Mello thought this whilst imagining running his hand over Near's chest.

'I will be very supportive if you decide to do this.' L said, matter of factly.

'Well I was… um… g-goodness…'

'Please, please, please…'

'Your move again.'

Another distracted move, Mello isolated Near's knight on the side of the board. _'This is so easy! Why didn't I do this sooner, and I get to look at him be uncomfortable while I win, what could be better.'_ Near was spinning a lock of hair very quickly, his unconscious nervous habit kicking in. His eyes were incredibly wide now and his face was at a good temperature for cooking.

'You should do it Near.' Light said giving the albino a friendly nudge.

'Please, please, please…'

'A-a… I was… um…'

'Your move.'

Near snapped around, ignoring everyone gathered around him. Mello's trance was broken, the albino's eyes narrowing. The blonde saw it, _'how could I have missed it'_ , the cogs were turning, they'd been turning the whole time. Near had been calculating his every action, each stammered word had been perfectly weighed for result. The albino moved his seemingly isolated bishop, taking Mello's rook in a surprise move he hadn't foreseen.

'I'm not the one who got distracted.' Near said triumphantly. 'Check.'

'You little shit…' Mello whispered.

'Your move.'

The other three all made the appropriate 'Ohhhh' at Near's challenge. The game was on, the gauntlet thrown, and Mello wasn't going to back down. Mello diverted his eyes from Near, who wasn't looking so flustered anymore his cheeks returning to their normally pallid shade. He glanced over the board, his moves had left him completely out of position. Near had taken the upper hand from right beneath his nose. Mello was certain he'd been distracting Near but it seemed it had been the other way around the whole time.

Mello glowered. 'Fuck you and your pretty face.'

Near smirked. 'I know you'd like to, but right now I have a game to win.' Near retorted.

Mello felt his anger build, he couldn't believe what was happening. _'How did he know what I'd been doing, that's just not possible.'_ He took a bite from his chocolate, it snapped loudly but he didn't notice. His mind raced, eliminating possible moves, calculating the best one. _'I still have my queen and he's two pieces down, just play carefully and the game it mine.'_

Mello moved his queen, taking the bishop. Near moved his knight that Mello thought was all but useless, taking a pawn in return, putting the king in check again.

'Check.'

Another 'Ohhhh', L and Light both marvelled at how well Near was controlling the game. Neither had seen anything like it, and they were both exceptional chess players themselves. But Near was something else, he seemed to be a dozen moves ahead of everyone, seeing patterns and possibilities that the others hadn't even conceived. The albino was creating an art. An art made of pure logic and unadulterated reason. Mello, Light, and L were all in awe of his talent and skill. Misa was also in awe even though she had no idea what any of this meant seeing as she had never learnt to play chess.

Mello moved his king out of check, hiding it behind a line of pawns. Near smiled, moved his pawn. Mello, Light, and L watched, gasped. The move had been so clever. With the smallest piece he had effectively isolated half of Mello's pieces, forcing him to sacrifice his queen to regain control over the centre of the board.

'You could have checkmate in eight moves you know.' Near said.

'Shut up.' Mello said, trying to concentrate.

'It's all right there.' Near continued.

'I swear Near.'

'All you have to do is open your eyes.' Near teased.

Mello moved his piece angrily. He looked at Near to see what he thought. The albino's face was calm and emotionless and his eyes were running like a machine, Mello couldn't deduce anything. _'I'm not going to lose. You think you're going to have this one, but I'm the dominant one, remember it.'_

'I can beat you.' Mello said.

'Prove it.' Near said. 'Bishop to B3.'

The albino didn't even look at the board, he just spoke the move. Mello understood, _'a challenge is it? Well two can play at that game, if you won't look neither will I.'_ His mind moved at a lightning pace. He went to take a bite, in the milliseconds as the chocolate moved toward his mouth he considered every possibility, never once looking at the board.

Bite. Snap. Decision made.

'Queen to E5, takes pawn.' Mello said.

'Pawn to E5, takes Queen.' Near responded.

'Bishop to G7, check.'

'King to G6.'

'Knight to H2.'

'Rook to H2, takes Knight.'

'Pawn to H2, takes rook.'

'Bishop to H2, takes pawn, check.' Near said with a smirk and a challenging expression. 'Didn't consider that did you?'

'Oh my god.' Misa groaned. 'Just get a room.'

Light gave her a nudge. 'Be quiet Misa, this is amazing.'

Neither Near nor Mello took any notice of her, this game was accelerating and neither was going to be left behind. Near twirled a lock of hair around his finger, spinning out his plan as he span his snowy hair. _'I won't lose Mello, you're not as dominant as you think.'_ Mello was eating his way through chocolate at an expediential rate, pulling bar after bar from his pockets and chewing through them with snapping bites. _'You're not going to win that easily Near, earn it if you want it, but just know that I'm in charge at the end of the day.'_

'King to B2.' Mello said.

'Bishop to G3, check.'

'King to B3.'

'Pawn to D6, takes your pawn.'

'Gusty move, you think you're going to win? Rook to A6.' Mello said, throwing down a verbal gauntlet.

'I don't think.' Near replied. 'I know, Knight to C6.'

By now everyone else was lost, only Mello and Near were following the game. Near squinted, staring Mello down bravely, utter confidence in his stance. Mello met his stare, taking a loud snapping bite from his chocolate.

'Prove it. Pawn to C5.'

'Fine.' Near said. 'Knight to E3, takes pawn. Your pawn to D5, blocks my pawn. My rook to H6. Your rook to H6, takes my rook, check. My King to F4. Your pawn to E6, check. My knight to E6, takes pawn. B2 pawn to B4. My second bishop to E5, check. Your king to A2. My bishop to D4, check. Your King to A1. My first bishop to B3. Your pawn forward to C6, en passant of my pawn. My bishop A2. Your king cannot move. Check mate, did I get anything wrong?'

Mello stood there gob smacked, jaw hung low, azure eyes wide with disbelief. Light and L mimicked this in their own way, Light giving a low whistled, L rubbing his hands through his hair. Mello mentally played all the moves Near had just told him, _'come on there has to be something off, something I'd do differently.'_ He took a silent bite from his chocolate, Near had been spot on. There wasn't a move Mello would have done differently.

Near waited until the silence had gotten uncomfortably long. 'Was I wrong?' He repeated.

'If we had the room to ourselves I would fuck you right here and now.' Mello whispered.

Near's eyes went wide and his face flushed red, for real this time. Despite what Mello had just said and who he had said it in front of he smirked, he couldn't help it.

'I didn't think you guys were at that stage yet.' Misa said, Light gave her another nudge to shut her up.

'I'll take that as a yes then.' Near said.

Light was the first member of their audience to come to his senses. He just couldn't believe what he had witnessed, _'just how smart is he?'_ He wondered. _'And just how dangerous is it that his intelligence is being coupled with rage monster Mello and befriended to small-time psychopath Neo?'_ He decided it probably wasn't good in either case but realised that if he challenged either case he'd be dealing with a rage monster or a small-time psychopath and so decided instead to leave the issue alone.

'Near that was incredible.' Light said.

'Very impressive.' L agreed.

'I don't really understand…' Misa whispered to Light.

'I'll explain later.' He whispered back.

Near ignored all of them, instead focusing his attention on Mello. This entire demonstration of intelligence did have a purpose after all and he wanted to make sure Mello understood. Mello was three steps ahead of him, before Near even got the chance to utter a syllable Mello had caught him in a kiss. Near was silence by lips that tasted to chocolate.

Mello pulled away. 'I'm still the dominant one.' He said.

'But-' Near began, being interrupted by another long kiss.

After several long seconds Mello pulled away.

'See?'

'Well-'

Kiss.

'See?'

'Can I-'

Kiss.

'See?'

Near nodded, he understood the point Mello was making all too well. Having the better mind didn't stop Mello from being the greater of the two physically and there was nothing Near could do about it. He smiled, _'I guess I'll just have to live with this status quo.'_

'I am smarter though.'

'Oh shut up Near.'

…

'Want to explain?' Matt asked.

Neo glared at him. She hadn't noticed that she hadn't been scowling until now but she felt the expression make it's return speedy return. Her eyes tightened and began to shoot daggers at the red head. She stood and readjusted her scarf angrily. The combination of a glowering expression, monstrous glare, and steam breath made her look more demonic than usual.

'There a lot of things I want to do but explain is not one of them.'

'Am I one of them?'

She rolled her eyes, detracting somewhat from her persona of rage but she couldn't help it. _'Even now he's going to make a sex remark, I swear to god he has not tact, none whatsoever!'_

'No Matt, you are not.'

'Your loss.'

'Fuck you too.'

It was Matt's turn to roll his eyes. He'd done things far worse than this to Neo before and in his opinion she really did seem to be over reacting. She'd been in a mood all week and he'd grown a little tired of it.

'What is your problem?' He asked.

'You following me out here.' Neo snapped. 'I specifically asked everyone not to follow me.'

'That's why I followed you.' Matt said.

'What?'

'Well normally you just do things and assume no one will follow or care.'

'So?'

'You said to everyone, 'don't follow me'. It was like you wanted people to become curious.'

'Trust me I didn't.'

'You should have thought about that before you said it.'

'I swear to god I'll kill you and drink your brains through your eyes with a straw.'

'And will this be before or after you follow through on all your other threats?'

'Screw you.'

Matt chuckled and sat down next to Neo. Normally she'd only find his cavalier attitude only mildly annoying, possibly the slightest bit endearing on a good day. But not today, not this week. She didn't know what it had been but she hadn't been in the mood for anything this week. She looked at the roses that wreathed the gravestone, took a long breath. Actually that previous statement was wrong. Neo did know why she'd been in the mood, it was just so emotionally driven that it made her sick.

Neo sunk her head. 'I'm sorry.'

If Matt had been on a chair he probably would have fallen off.

'You're sorry? Can I have that in writing.'

'Sure, but I want to use your blood as ink and your face as my paper.'

'Never mind.'

'Thought so.'

They fell into a silence, that suited Neo fine and Matt didn't seem to mind either. They watched the clouds above them, how each slowly formed and swirled, morphing from one shape into another, a constantly evolving picture. Neo took a breath in, the air was perfumed with the sweetness of the roses. Normally the cold air would sting to the point where it almost felt like your body was ablaze with a frozen flame, but the roses made that sensation slightly more endurable.

Matt shuffled around beside Neo and she cringed, worrying that he might try to talk with her. She was still in no mood to interact with anyone, she knew that it was all to do with the slab of stone in front of her and nothing to do with Matt, but it didn't change the facts. _'I hate being irrational.'_ Neo thought. _'It's like gambling but with emotions, you don't know why it's happening, why you're so involved, and you can't stop either.'_ She glanced at Matt, he was fishing a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his pocket.

'Smoking is going to kill you one day.'

'You might too.' He said. Pause. He stuck the rolled paper in his mouth, lit it, blew out a puff of smoke. Continue. 'But that doesn't stop me talking to you.'

'Still-'

'If you want a fag.' Matt interrupted, offering Neo as cigarette. 'You can just ask.'

Neo accepted, sticking it between her teeth. Matt lit it, their respective cigarettes kissing for a moment, Matt lighting Neo's by sharing the flame on the end of his. She breathed in the smoke. The first time she'd had a smoke she had coughed so much she felt like she was about to vomit her lungs through her throat. It was nothing compared to the first alcohol she'd had, whisky it turned out was not the ideal starting drink, Neo felt like she on fire that time. Still, these days she was an expert at both, smoking and drinking like she'd been doing it for years (which to be fair she had) capable of outdrinking Mello if the occasion called for it.

'Those words.' Matt said, cigarette between his fingers. He pointed at the gravestone. ' "Thus Kindly I Scatter". They're on the front door of the house.'

'So?'

'What do they mean?'

Neo sighed, Matt was starting to rub her up the wrong way again. She calmed herself, if she was going to get mad it wasn't going to be in front of her mother, she could do it later. She began to speak, using her softer and more lyrical voice that she saved for poetry recitals:

'Tis the last rose of summer. Left blooming alone;

All her lovely companions are faded and gone;

No flower of her kindred, no rosebud is nigh

To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh.

.

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one! To pine on the stem;

Since the lovely are sleeping; go sleep with them.

Thus kindly I scatter they leaves o'er the bed,

Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead.

.

So soon may I follow when friendships decay,

And from love's shining circle the gems drop away.

When true hearts lie withered and fond ones are flown,

Oh, who will inhabit this bleak world alone?'

Neo finished. She took another puff from her cigarette, breathing out with little rings. She looked down at the flowerbed again, the roses really were something, even if none were blue. Neo had always liked roses, they were beautiful for the sake of being beautiful, they existed because they could, not because they should. Neo always considered herself a rose, it was there for it's own sake, _'maybe I am the blue rose.'_

'Your mother was an amazing woman wasn't she?' Matt asked.

Neo raised her eyebrow. 'I don't believe I've ever spoken about her, so how would you know?'

'Two ways. One, you must look up to her, the way you talk to her when you think your alone is pure admiration. Two, she raised a girl like you, not just anyone can do that.'

Neo permitted herself a small grin, Matt was facing away, he didn't see.

'You know.' Matt said. 'I pride myself on figuring people out, the more I know, the more sense they make. But you, you're different. You're a mystery, and every time I peel back a layer you make less sense rather than more.'

'Matt… Mail.' Neo said. 'You're a special kind of guy you know that right?'

'You are too you know.'

'Nah, I'm just mean.'

'You're not half as mean as you think you are.'

'Whatever.'

Neo let out another puff of smoke, watching it swirl and grown in the air as she released it in a single long breath. She looked around the forest, it was ghostly, the life was hidden and hibernating, a sleeping beast waiting to be awoken by spring. _'Not half as mean as I think I am huh?'_ Neo thought about it, maybe Matt was right, on one level he could be, it seemed plausible. _'But I don't know who I am. I'm Neo but that name had no meaning in itself. Napoleon is being slowly scattered out behind me, debris to be swallowed by the sea of time. Neo is sailing on in it's place, but who is Neo? The only meaning Neo has is taken from what is left behind, from Napoleon. Maybe I'm not half as mean as I think I am, but that would be because I don't know half as well as you who I am at all.'_

'Those things you said in Latin.' Matt asked, interrupting Neo's thoughts. 'Were they about me.'

'Yes.'

'Will you tell me?'

'No.'

'But-'

'I really can't. Maybe one day, but not right now.'

Matt nodded, he smiled acceptingly. They sat there for a few more minutes, breathing steady puffs of smoke. The flames crawled down their cigarettes, dwindling slowly. Finally Matt stood, throwing his to the ground and putting it out with one of his booted feet. He readjusted his goggles and gave Neo a sly grin.

'Come on Neo. Readjust your scarf with purpose and scowl a little harder, things are afoot.'

Before she had been moody but that had seemed to simmer out somewhat. Neo decided to humour him, giving him a questioning look. She stood, put her cigarette out as well, throwing it to the ground and stomping the flame out.

'What?' She asked.

Matt spoke in a singsong voice. 'I didn't tell you or Near or Mello, but I've been plotting and scheming. Tonight I unveil my plan with your help. Oh yes, revenge has been waiting far to long, but tonight is the night.'

Neo rolled her eyes. 'What?'

'Operation: Counter-Counter Strike!' Matt proclaimed. 'Come on, I'll fill you in on the way back.'

He marched off, assuming Neo would follow. She allowed herself a small smirk, _'he's such a dork.'_ Neo picked a rose from the bush and laid it on the gravestone just beneath the words 'Thus Kindly I Scatter'. She remembered her mother teaching her that poem so long ago, when she had been very little. For all these years she had assumed that her mother had meant for it to be about her, she just knew how so. Now she was fairly certain.

'So mum, do you approve?'

And with that Neo ran after Matt, catching up to her goggled friend, leaving her mother be for another year. As she walked she quickly readjusted her scarf and scowled a little harder.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: This chapter is primarily about Neo but I wanted to give you guys some Mello and Near as well, it's only fair considering how much I have (and will) put you through. However I didn't want to give you a repeat of last chapter so you got intellectual romance rather than physical. As for Neo well I think that speaks for itself. Please leave reviews, especially any critiques, but nice things are good too. Stay tuned for another chapter, it's time for Operation: Counter-Counter Strike (you didn't think I'd forgotten about the pranking did you?)_


	30. Chapter 26: Consideration

_A/N: Thank you for your patience my readers! I tried to write this as quickly as I could but I've been doing paperwork and training for a job the last few days and thats taken up a lot of my time! Anyway, I shouldn't make excuses! Enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own zero percent of anything from death note._

* * *

Lights eyelids flickered slightly, it was dark, early hours of the morning before the sun had awoken? Perhaps. Maybe. He didn't really know, it was all a bit drowsy. What he did know was that he felt cold, extremely cold. He reached over to grab his covers, they had probably come off while he was sleeping. Light's hand felt frozen, as if a layer of thin ice had grown over it. His hand searched, no covers, maybe they had come off in his sleep. _'Rocked off.'_

Rocked?

That was an unusual choice of words. Drowsy and sluggish as he may have be, Light's mind still whirled into action, almost instinctively. _'Rocked? Why did I choose that word? It's very specific.'_ He decided to account for all the factors. Recent history? He thought about it, nothing from yesterday morning, or afternoon, the evening was a foggy and unclear, he'd come back to that. Emotionally? Everything seemed steady, he was happy with Misa, he had friends who were happy, maybe something happened yesterday evening. At the moment it was the opposite of rocky. _'If only I wasn't half asleep. Ok, other factors…'_ Physical. It seemed all normal. except for his lack of covers. _'Where are they, wait, rocking…'_

Light felt it. It was there, a definite sense of rocking. His bed was tipping side to side slightly. _'Why's it doing that? It's a bed! How'd I even get here anyway…'_ Light thought about this, his brain slowly starting to behave like it was awake even if the rest of his body denied it vehemently. _'Last night… how'd I get to bed… there was diner… spaghetti I believe, Matt made it… it was pretty bad… I must have gotten up after and gone to bed… but I don't remember… eating, I became sleepy… and then… nothing.'_

Rocking.

Light couldn't believe it but he was certain his bed was rocking. Side to side, monotonously, like a boat. _'Boat? That's ridiculous, maybe I'm dreaming.'_ Light groaned and reached for his blanket again, but it evaded his grasp, having hidden itself somewhere on the floor or entrenched down the side of the bed. _'I've got to be dreaming, one of those weird half-awake, delirious ones. Where is my blanket?'_ His hand fumbled blindly for another moment or two while his brain tried to recover memories from the night before.

'Damn it's cold.' Light muttered.

'Indeed.'

With the utterance of that one word Light had snapped awake, his previously uncooperative body springing to life quickly. There was an inky darkness all around him, the bed rocked violently as he sat up, water lapping at it's sides. Across from him sat L, an outline against the dark horizon, Light breathed a sigh of relief. He'd never told anyone but serial killers in his room was one of his greatest fears. Lights mind began to function normally, taking in his surroundings. _'Not a serial killer, just L, good. Wait. The bed is rocking? Water? Dark horizon? Where Am I?'_

Light looked around frantically, his memory flooding back now. They'd been seated around the dinning room table, the one that looked like it had been cut out from the trunk of a tree. Neo and Matt had been making weird faces at each other, knowing grins, the kind that seemed to be holding back a flood of laughter. Misa hadn't noticed _'No surprise there, she's wonderful but god is she stupid.'_ L had noticed though, and maybe Kiyomi too. Then they'd begun to eat, Light had suspected that Neo and Matt had put something disgusting in their food, but aside from overcooked pasta, nothing was wrong. _'In true, the most disgusting thing was probably Mello trying to feed Near. Near seemed as keen about the idea as the rest of us, not very.'_

So they'd eaten, and then it had hit, the sleepiness. Light remembered it overcoming him so quickly, taking him down as quickly as a punch to the gut, albeit far less painful. Light had watched the others go first, Misa then Kiyomi then L, their bodies flopping like marionettes with their strings cut. Then, Light supposed, he'd gone too, because he didn't remember anything after that.

'Where are we?' Light asked frantically.

'A canoe.' L said.

Light shook him, his still half-asleep brain having yet to calm down. 'Where?'

'Somewhere on the Lake I think.'

L's calm demeanour had an effect on Light, the brunette quickly coming to his senses and sitting down. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and groaned, wondering what he had done to deserve this. L reached under his sear and pulled out a small device.

'Ok Matt, he's awake, now what?'

Light looked up, L had a portable radio in his hands. He wondered where Matt might have gotten that, but then he remembered that Neo had an endless fortune, and stopped the stupid question before he ever got a chance to utter it. A crackly voice answered them.

'Welcome!' Matt said from the other end of the radio. 'A welcome to Operation: Counter-Counter Strike!'

'Or in regular person talk stuff, a prank.' Mello interrupted.

'Regular person talk stuff?' Matt giggled.

'Shut up you… you… stupid person.' Mello said.

'Hah, is that the best you can come up with.'

'No… your mum.'

'Oh very witty, pity we're not in the fifth grade.'

'Shut the fuck up.'

They devolved into laughter on the other end of the line, crackled sounds of hysteria reaching them through the radio. Light groaned, _'why me?'_ He and L exchanged a look of disbelief, they couldn't quite believe the predicament they were in. Light looked around him, his surroundings starting to become a little more clear. He searched for the Lake House but couldn't find it, everything was hidden by a cloud mist, which floated over the lake like hair does underwater.

Finally Matt and Mello began to calm down, but before Light could say anything someone else got to the line first.

'Are you guys drunk?' Kiyomi asked in indignation.

A pause.

'Maybe…' Matt confessed.

'Ugh.'

Light scrabbled for the radio, struggling to grip it properly with his frosted fingers. 'Kiyomi? Where are you?'

'In a canoe on the Lake I think, Misa is with me.' She didn't sound particularly happy as she said the last four words. 'Where are you guys?'

'Same as you we think, L's with me.'

'Hi.' L chimed in.

'Hello L.' Kiyomi replied.

There was a bustling sound from the radio. It was like leaves rustling punctuated with the occasional annoyed grunt. L and Light looked at each other again, was that Mello and Matt (and probably Near and Neo somewhere close by) or Kiyomi and Misa. They had to wait only a moment longer as somebody finally got a hold of the radio.

'Hi sweetie!' Misa called down the line.

'Hey Misa.' Light replied.

'Are you ok?' Misa asked.

'I'm fine, how're you?'

'Oh I'm great.' Misa said. 'I was cold before but hearing your voice made me feel all warm again.'

'Oh my god.' Matt said. 'Get off the line Misa, Jesus Christ this is a prank not a romantic call!'

'But-' Misa began.

Before she could finish someone made a grab for one of the radios and seized it. Light leaned in, curious as to what was going on, but regretted it the moment the person starting talking.

'Misa.' Neo yelled very loudly. Apparently she too had been drinking.

'But-' Misa said again.

'No buts.' Neo said. 'Oh my god Mello I meant buts not butts, grow up. Misa, no more radio talk with Light, cause if you do, I'll disembowel you while you sleep, got it?'

Even though he was not the target of the threat and Neo was nowhere near him Light still shivered. _'Neo can really be quite scary if she wants.'_

'Ok.' Neo said. 'Here's the dealio, oh my god, I'm never saying that again… Anyway. You're all on canoes, as I'm sure your aware. We've provided food, oars, and warmth under your seats. You're out there all night or until you find the shore. I'm going to go flush this radio down the toilet, I hope you all die.'

'Wait.' Kiyomi yelled. 'Don't do that! What if there's an emergency out here? We won't be able to contact you.'

Silence, Neo was clearly thinking things through on the other end.

'True.' She said. 'But I really want to flush this down the toilet. So if you get into trouble well, that sucks, bye.'

'Wait, Neo-' They all called together.

There was a sound of rushing water and then the radio cut to silence. Light couldn't say for certain, but he imagined Misa and Kiyomi were probably starring at the radio in shocked silence, much like he and L were doing right now.

Light shook his head, he couldn't quite believe where they were. _'In truth I thought they'd forgotten about pranking, but I guess not. Still, this is a pretty good one.'_ He shivered slightly, the night was very cold, he hoped they wouldn't be out for too long. _'We could die of exposure, but Neo's probably hoping for that.'_ Light reached under his seat, his hands found a small box. _'Still, it's not a half-bad prank.'_

He pulled the box out, opened it. Inside there was a stuffed crow, a pair of plastic spoons, and a box of matches. Or, as Neo had put it before, 'food', 'oars', and 'warmth'. Light ground his teeth together, _'the nerve of those guys.'_

'Well.' L said, sounding resigned to his fate already. 'It's going to be a long night.'

…

Mello looked at the clock, he wanted to know what the time was. 4:17. He looked away, reached for the bottle in the centre of the table. Pause. He was sure that he'd just looked at the clock but for the life of him he couldn't remember what the time was. Shrug. Never mind, he was thirsty. He picked up the bottle, it was made of a rich watery green coloured glass. Red wine that looked black sloshed around in the bottom third of the bottle. Mello picked it up to drink, raising it slowly to his lips.

He stopped.

He began to giggle.

He'd caught sight of Matt, who was sitting opposite him, through the glass. The red-head looked warped and stretched, the glass distorting his image. Mello wasn't quite sure was this was all so funny but it was and so he continued to giggle. The giggles slowly became funnier and Mello began to laugh at them as well, until he became doubled over with laughter, struggling to stay on his chair.

'What's so funny Mels?' Matt asked.

This was the breaking point. Mello was consumed with hysterics, falling from his chair, dropping the wine bottle. There was a loud thump as he hit the ground and Matt stood to go check on him. Mello continued to writhe on the ground, his body spasming with laughter. He couldn't remember what was even funny in the first place.

'Jesus Mels, are you ok?'

Mello's laughter finally began to subside, in between giggles he responded. 'I'm all goodish.'

'Ok buddy. Lets get you up and to bed.'

Matt propped Mello up on one of his shoulders and began to escort him to his room. Mello began to writhe around, making him very hard to carry.

'No, it's not even my bed time.' Mello said. 'Come on Matt, don't be a poop.'

'You're drunk Mels.'

'And you're a stinky poop.' Mello replied. A pause. He began to giggle again. 'Poop…'

'Aw man.' Matt muttered.

'Poop…'

'Come on Mels, that's not even funny.'

'Poop, get it? Poop!'

Mello was consumed by another wave of laughter making him very hard to carry. Matt tried to haul him along, but the blonde was becoming difficult to keep up. With each laugh came a heavy breath and an uncontrollable shudder, and the breaks between one and another were becoming harder to detect.

'Mels please, you're hard to carry.' Matt said.

'Yeah, well you're hard too.' Mello retorted. 'Hard for Neo.'

Matt let the blonde slide straight of his shoulder and land on the floor with a dull thump.

'What?' He yelled. 'What did you say?'

Mello laughed some more, clutching at his sides and rolling around on the floor. Matt grabbed the blonde and shook him, as if he were trying to dislocate an answer that was entrenched somewhere in the blonde. This only caused Mello to laugh even more.

'Say that again Mels, say it.'

Mello's laughter calmed enough for him to speak. 'Say what?'

'What you just said!' Matt replied, shaking him some more. 'Say it.'

'It.' Mello said.

Silence.

Matt starred at Mello for a moment, the blonde starred back as best he could, although his eyes did wonder somewhat, it was very hard for him to stay focused. Mello burst out with another round of laughter. Matt groaned, _'Why couldn't he be a different kind of drunk, maybe like Near. Honest for a while and then very sleepy.'_

Matt checked the corner, Near was still curled up there, fast asleep. He'd had six shots and then half a bottle of wine, Matt had been fairly impressed actually. Then the albino had thrown up outside somewhere and fallen asleep right there in the corner, having not moved for a while. Matt was glad that he was so manageable, even if Mello was not.

The blonde was still rolling around on the floor, giggling like a toddler. Did Mello actually know? Or was it just another random idea his drunken mind had produced? Did it even matter? _'He was going to figure out soon enough I suppose, if he hadn't been so engrossed with Near this week he probably would have picked up on it a lot earlier.'_

Matt sighed, wishing he'd had enough alcohol to get properly drunk like Near and Mello were than just a few hours of tipsiness. _'Why do I even care so much? It's not like it's some dirty secret or anything.'_ He and Mello had always been honest about their crushes in the past, so why the sudden change? _'Am I afraid of liking Neo, no that's stupid. Is it? Yes it is. Why? Because it's not a crime to like someone, duh.'_

Matt looked at Mello, the blonde had fallen fast asleep. Matt smiled, that was one less thing to worry about. _'So why would I be afraid of Mello knowing? I want to get together with her, I just don't know how, he'd be able to help.'_ He stood. _'Maybe that's it, I don't know how. Every other girl I've been with I always knew what to do. But Neo, she's, well… Neo. I wouldn't know where to begin, and perhaps I just don't want to admit it.'_ Matt shook his head, that was ridiculous, his ego wasn't that big was it? He always thought himself humble enough to ask for help if he needed it. _'Maybe it's because dating is meant to be my area of expertise, I should know what to do already.'_

He groaned, it was too late, no wait, early, for all this kind of thought. He stood, moved to go to bed, he could think about it in the morning. Matt stopped, there was a strange aroma in the air. Something was burning, it smelt like bottles thrown on a fire. He turned, there was smoke coming from the kitchen.

Matt walked over, peaked his head around. Neo was sitting on the bench. In one hand she held a frying pan over the stove, shaking it gently, that's where the smoke was coming from. In her other hand she was holding a pen that she was using to write on a pad which was balanced on one of her legs. Few people could have managed such a set up, but Neo was renown for her multi-tasking ability.

'What are you doing?' Matt asked.

'Writing poetry.' Neo said without looking up. 'I write best when I'm under the influence.'

'I know that.' Matt said. 'I meant with the pan.'

'Oh.' Neo said. 'I'm frying marbles.'

'Why?'

'Why not?' Neo said with a shrug. 'I wanted to see what would happen if I did, and I wouldn't be able to do it at school.'

'So you'll do it whilst writing poetry instead.'

'Didn't want to miss the window of opportunity,'

' _She really is something.'_ Matt watched her for a moment. There was no easy comparison Matt could think of for her, she was beautiful in an intangible way. In many ways she was angelic, perched there with perfect poise and elegance, but she wasn't an angel either. Matt knew she wouldn't have liked that, angels were on the side of light and Neo loved the dark. _'No, it's not angelic, it's beautiful and, in a strange way, it's sad.'_ She was like a statue of a beautiful woman, perfectly sculpted and undeniably elegant but also incredibly sad. You could never quite figure out why those kinds of statues were sad, but you knew that they were. And that was Neo, incredibly sad but incredibly beautiful.

' _Maybe that's why I like her.'_ Matt thought. _'Everyone wears happiness like they wear a shirt, but underneath we're all sad. And today, at the grave, I saw her without that happiness mask, she was sad, and she was beautiful.'_ Matt felt like going up to her and kissing her. He wanted to be as close to that incredible person as he could, understand her in ways that nobody else dared. _'Not while she's drunk, it doesn't mean as much. It has to be when she's sober. I can't take the mask, she has to choose to shed it.'_

'I'm heading to bed.'

'Ok.'

…

Kiyomi looked at her watch. 5:15. The sun would be up soon and they'd be able to find their way to back to the shore. It was cold, incredibly cold without the slightest bit of warmth. She had the breath of chain smokers, her limbs felt like they were going to fall off. _'Honestly what were they thinking? One of us could have died from exposure.'_ Kiyomi cast a glance to Misa. _'Well, if she did that wouldn't be so bad.'_

Kiyomi was appalled with herself.

' _Where did that come from?'_ She cast another glance at Misa. They hadn't exchanged a single word since their radios had cut out. Kiyomi felt her glance change into a glare. She resented the blonde of course, she'd stolen Light from her. _'She took Hou Yi from Chang'e…'_ But she had never felt like this before.

There was a parasite called envy and it was eating away at her, nibbling at her from inside so slowly that she hadn't even realised it was there until now. Kiyomi looked away. She'd thought about Misa the last few days. Why had Light chosen Misa? Why not Kiyomi? What characteristic to Misa posses that she herself did not?

' _I'm smarter than her. I'm no less beautiful. I'm mature and funny. Why do all the 'pretty girls' always get what they want while I, the smartest one, always has to fight for it.'_ Kiyomi ground her teeth together. It wasn't fair. Her entire life she'd been fighting this uphill battle, and just when she felt like she was getting close to her goal it was all snatched away again and she was sent tumbling all the way back to start.

' _Why did Light choose her, why not me? Why did he think her better?'_ Kiyomi felt herself becoming so angry at the thought. Misa didn't have the right as far as Kiyomi was concerned. The blonde had done nothing to earn Light's affection, she didn't deserve it. _'I deserve him, I should have him, not her, . But he chose her anyway, why? What don't I have?'_ Kiyomi slammed her fist on the side of the canoe.

'It's just not fair!'

'Kiyomi…' Misa said.

Kiyomi turned quickly and seized Misa. Her words were intercepted by Kiyomi, the other girl stopping them before the blonde could utter a word. Kiyomi did so with a kiss. She pressed her lips up against Misa's. The blonde was wide eyed with shock, this just didn't make any sense. Kiyomi's lips were cold, the heat that should have been contained in the kiss stolen away.

Kiyomi pulled away, Misa tried to think of something to say but she found nothing. She just couldn't figure out why Kiyomi had done what she just did.

'You don't even kiss well.' She whispered.

Kiyomi turned away. Misa understood. She couldn't believe that Kiyomi had fallen so far, she'd always been so strong, Misa had admired that. Misa pitied the girl, had she done this to her? Had her actions with Light turned her into this bitter creature. Misa couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Without a word spoken between them they both agreed never to speak of it.

…

The sky was starting to become grey around the edges. Light looked at his watch, 5:45, the sun would be up very soon. It was still cold, so unbelievably cold. He was shivering, not constant shivers, but individual ones. There was a distinct gap between one and another, but they ran through his body like an electric shock. He wished they were all just one long shiver, he'd prefer that to this violent and inconsistent current.

He looked over at L. The boy looked just as bad as he did, if not a little bit worse. Unlike Light, L hadn't been wearing any extra layers when he'd been knocked out, just his jeans and white t-shirt. At least Light had a jumper on, it wasn't much against this technically-not-winter-wind but it was something. Light was honestly surprised L hadn't gone blue with cold, his shivering was certainly was certainly worse than Lights own.

Light unzipped and took off his jumper. He immediately regretted this choice but wasn't about to back down, L could get seriously ill if he didn't do something. He offered it to the boy, he shook his head.

'You'll get sick.' Light said.

'I'm fine.'

'Take it.'

'No thank you.'

'Fine.'

Light moved over to where L sat and squashed in next to him. The seat was really only made for one, but they were both fairly lithe, at least compared to other boys. Light had wondered more than once how L managed to stay so skinny when all he did was eat sweets and never exercise. L claimed that he 'used energy by thinking' but Light was fairly certain that that was total rubbish.

Still at this moment he was glad his friend was so thin, even if there was no rational explanation for it. Light threw his jumper over L's right shoulder and then pulled it so that the other end rested on his left shoulder. They were now both partially wearing the jumper, and what warmth was lost by sharing the clothing was made up for by their proximity and body heat.

'Light-' L began.

'Shut it.' Light said. 'I wasn't going to let you endanger your own well being.'

'Thank you.'

L felt the presence of Matt, even though the red-head had no idea what was going on out here. He could feel Matt watching over his shoulder, or sitting in front of him, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and whispering in his ear. Urging him to do something, to confess to Light, or to kiss him, or god-knows what, this was Matt after all. L couldn't believe himself, being pressured by somebody who wasn't even there, who wouldn't even know what was happening.

' _Matt probably put me in the same canoe as Light just for this reason.'_ L grinned at that thought, Matt was nothing if not determined. L liked that about Matt, he wanted to help others find happiness, not let it slip away, not for anyone. Matt probably knew more about losing things and letting moments pass more than anyone else, so it made sense that he'd want to help others find it.

' _But I can't.'_ L thought. _'It would be wrong, Light is happy, I'm content. That's good enough.'_ L had considered the options, but he didn't know how he would go about making anything happen. He didn't know the results of his actions, he couldn't foresee how things might change. L wasn't willing to risk hurting Misa, potentially hurting Light, and hurting himself. Maybe he and Light would end up happy, and that would be good. But Light and Misa were already happy together, and there would be no more happy people if he did act. ' _Two happy at the expense of me is good enough.'_

'What do you see in her?' L asked.

'Misa?' Light said. 'Well I… dunno.'

'I see.'

' _You may, but I don't'_ Light thought. _'Why am I with her? What attracts me?'_ He thought about it. Misa was like a bird, unbound to the earth by the constraints of other, but never arrogant about it. Light liked her mind, she wasn't smart, but he liked how she always managed to find the beauty in a situation. She felt everything more deeply, more passionately than anyone he knew. She was unbound to the earth but destined to return because she always found beauty in what she saw.

' _But she's not the only one like that.'_ Light thought. _'I know other people like her, so why would I choose her over someone else?'_ Light considered this, watching the sky go from black to grey and grey to hazy. There were other people like that in his life, unbound in some way. They were smarter than Misa too, _'not that difficult really, so why wouldn't I choose one of them instead?'_

Light realised that he'd just been swept up in the moment, so enraptured with the idea of loving Misa that he'd forgotten to fall in love. _'She's brilliant and kind and she deserves someone better than me, no, she's owed better.'_ Light groaned inwardly, he couldn't believe what he was thinking.

' _But who is there that I could choose?'_ They would have to be unbound by the thoughts of others like Neo. They would have to be as smart as Near. They would have to be as happy as Matt. They would have to have as much heart as Mello.

Kiyomi.

' _No, I didn't choose her the first time around, and there was a reason, she lacks kindness.'_ Light had been tempted by the idea, she had many of the qualities that he wanted in a partner. But he was right, she wasn't kind. She was self-assured and wicked smart, but her mind was like ice. Kiyomi wanted him because she felt that she deserved Light. Light knew this and he knew he couldn't be with someone like that, there had to be heat and passion in the connection, not ice.

He stared through at the mist, it clouded everything, swirling and dancing on the water. It obscured his view. There was mist in Light's mind too, he felt like he should know who he was looking for, that they should be right in front of him. Instead they were hidden in the mist and all he had was his isolation and his closest friend. _'L's always there, even now, when I feel lost he's there. He cares, he doesn't need to say it, in fact I doubt he would, but I know he does.'_ Light thought about it. The woman he wanted should be like L. The raven haired boy held all the qualities that he sought. He was clever, independent, driven, unbound, but most of all, he was kind.

' _L…'_ Light felt his heart race at the thought of the boy, his breath quickened ever so slightly. He hadn't noticed just how close he was sitting, how intimate they were. Light's heart beat like a drum, a song ringing through his skull. It was a call, a challenge, his body was telling him something, something Light didn't want to be true. Light was so certain about who he was, his values his codes, his attractions. He had always been into the opposite gender, that had been a given fact, but now his body was telling him something else. Something he didn't want to admit but couldn't deny.

' _Am I… gay for L?'_

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well that was a thing! Writing drunk Mello was a lot of fun but that wasn't really the main point of the chapter was it? THis was more about all the non-Near/Mello relationships. One big thing I wanted to say was that until now I'd avoided the topic of 'being gay', Mello and Near never actually had that dicusion. So I apologise if it seems out of place for Light to worry about it, but I wanted the Light/L ship to be distinguished from the Mello/Near one, with it's own challenges. For Mello and Near it's all about reconcilitation with their past and forgiving_ _themselves/other, but L and Light are more about personal identity, so I think it makes sense. Anyway… please leave a review with any thoughts, support, or criticism. I'm always looking to improve my writing to please let me know! Stay tuned for the next chapter!_


	31. Chapter 27: Here and Beyond

_A/N: Sorry about the slight lateness of this chapter, although my excuse was that I went to the midnight premier of Star Wars instead of writing, so I think it's fairly valid. Anyhow, back on topic, enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: Own Death Note, I do not._

* * *

 **PART FOUR**

"He carried Hell with him, as we all did, like a little load on our backs that we hardly noticed most of the time, or like a huge great hump of suffering that bent us over with it's weight."

-John Marsden, Tomorrow When the War Began

* * *

The car ride back to Wammy's had been long and uncomfortable for Light. Even though it only took two hours it felt much lengthier, the road seeming to elongate at the same speed he was driving so that he felt at a standstill even though they were moving. Everyone was half asleep, the prank having done no one any favours as they'd been up all night, half trying not to freeze to death and the others laughing at the fact that they might freeze to death.

They had all been sluggish and slow when it came to collecting their belongings, in the space of a week they'd seemed to have scattered all across the house, the most unusual items arriving in the most unlikely of places. Matt's had brought along four pairs of socks for instance and they had ended up in every room save for his own. It was later found out that it had been Neo's doing, but the principle stood, with other assorted items including Near's puzzle, Mello's chocolate, and Kiyomi's planner also winding up in strange places.

Still, by 10:30 they were all packed and ready to go and so they had piled into Lights car and the car hired by Neo's family. Misa had insisted on a 'couples car' and so now she sat in the passenger seat while Light drove, with Near and Mello in the back. The boys listened silently while Misa chattered, not really needing anyone else to contribute to her running monologue.

Light occasionally cast a look at Near and Mello in the rear-view mirror. The two hadn't spoken the entire time, both looking heavily hung over, Light couldn't say he was sympathetic. But they held hands the entire trip, their fingers interlocked, both holding on tightly as if they wanted to make sure they could never lose the other.

He couldn't help but admire the simplicity of what they had, it looked so easy for them, being in love. Of course he knew that they'd leapt through enough hurdles to break apart a married couple, and that was just to be together. But right now they were a picture of perfect happiness, and that hardship seemed a distant memory. Light however, did not have the ease of mind that they had.

' _I'm gay. For L.'_ It seemed impossible. He and L had been friends for a long time now, they had known each other longer than any of their other friends, they could trace their origin all the way back to the second grade. Light was glad L was in the other car because he had become very hot and flustered the night before and he doubted that he'd be a safe driver if L was any closer.

' _Mello and Near have it so easy.'_ Light thought bitterly. _'I've got so many other factors. How does L feel, would either of us commit to something like this? And if we did where would that leave Misa? It's not fair for me to bail after one week, she didn't do anything wrong.'_ It was all such a mess. That morning, while they'd been sitting in the canoe Light had almost lost to impulsive side. The moment he'd realised that he was… interested in L he'd wanted to take the boy, hug, kiss, go the whole way. Right there. In a canoe at 5:50 in the morning.

Luckily, or maybe unluckily, Light hadn't decided, he'd beaten all that back. Just. The sun had risen over the lake, rays of warm light piercing the veil of mist to reveal that the two canoe had been less than five meters away from the shore the whole time. They'd gotten out, waded back to land and gone back inside. Before Light lost the battle with his impulsive side Misa had returned and barraged him affection. He'd still felt something for her, but it wasn't as strong as it had once been. He could tell that all 'those' feelings for her were draining faster than water from a sink.

' _Just when I sort everything out with the Kiyomi/Misa/Adeline situation this pops up, it's like the universe doesn't want me to have stability.'_ He cast another look to the two boys in the back, Near was lying curled up on the seat, fitting his entire body in the two seats (the virtues of being less than five feet tall Light supposed). He and Mello hadn't let the others hand go, but the blonde was now twirling a lock of Near's hair with his other hair absentmindedly. _'Why do they make it all look so easy?'_

'-elcome back to 95.7 fm, 'The Day Train.'.' Misa had turned on the radio. 'And now the news. President Obama has committed an additional thousand troops to Syria. In a press conference the white house stated that: 'The additional military troops are there to maintain freedom and peace.' We here at 'The Day Train' believe that the words 'freedom' and 'peace' are contradictory to 'military' but we're sure you can form your own judgements.'

Light sighed. Freedom and Peace. The radio host was wrong about those words, they contradicted each other as much as the word military did them. He had the freedom to drop Misa if he chose, but he doubted that there would be any kind of peace if he did. On the other hand he could maintain the peace, stay with Misa, but sacrifice his freedom in the process.

'In sporting news. Spains, Rafael Nadal defeated Australia's Bernard Tomic in straight sets at the Hong Kong cup finals, 6-3, 6-1, 6-0.'

Light could empathise with that Australian player. Right now he felt like he was being assaulted from every angle, losing so quickly it was like he wasn't even playing. _'Five hours ago I was happy in a relationship, my life was calm. And now I don't like my significant other, I'm falling for my best friend, and my sexuality is being challenged.'_ Light couldn't help but feel he was going to come out the loser in this situation, no matter what he chose to do he couldn't win. He could stay with Misa, keep her happy, but he himself discontent. Or he could try with L, destroy his newfound peace, risk rejection, and for what? A five hour old crush? Light suspected his feelings had been building for far longer than that, but for now, to keep things in perspective, he was going to say only five hours.

'And in local weather, meterologists are projecting that the largest blizzard in over two hundred years will hit this Saturday. Experts are advising that people stock up on food supplies as the snow could build to as much as two meters in height.'

' _There's a storm coming, but it's not a blizzard, it's a hurricane. Hurricane Light. He'll hit land somewhere, sometime, and wreck havoc with everyone's lives, leaving destruction in his wake.'_ Light sighed, rubbed his tired eyes. He knew that he had to do something, he'd have to make up his mind. When he got back he would talk to someone, start the ball rolling, see where it led him and make a decision from there. He hoped that his feelings might pass by then, that everything he'd felt in the canoe was just some freak accident and that everything would sort itself out.

But he doubted that would be the case.

So talking to them was his best choice. The only question was would he start with Misa or L?

'And up next we have 'Delilah' by Florence and the Machine.'

They music began to play, opening with piano and a uniquely wispy but powerful voice, occasionally punctuated with by a chorus.

'There's a storm coming.' Misa said.

The music began to build, a steady drum beat accompanying the rising power in the leads voice.

"It's a different kind of danger

And my feet are spinning around

Never knew I was a dance

'Till Deliliah showed me how

.

To fast for freedom

Sometimes it all falls down

These chains never leave me

I keep dragging them around"

'There's gonna be a storm.' Misa said.

'Yep.' Light replied quietly

The music burst into life, guitars, drums, a powerful chorus, and lead all roaring into life. Light sighed, _'There's gonna be a storm'._ He continued the seemingly eternal drive back to Wammy's.

…

For a week there had been no students at Wammy's, everyone retreating to family manors or resorts that resided in the worlds most exotic locales. The less wealthy scholarship students had equally taken advantage of the break week but had stayed domestic much like the eight had. Regardless of destination the result was the same with students swarming back into the school like ants, the hallways filling with well-rested students, all telling tales of their short holidays and lamenting the all-too-soon return of classes.

From the moment the students met rumours began to circulate. They consumed the new gossip like ravenous dogs, tearing into every scrap of information and spinning countless theories so that within an hour of returning there were already ten mistruths for every single truth. Whilst there were countless stories some were incredibly popular, for instance the ever sought after Sophie had reportedly been swept up by an Italian man and the two were now in a long distance relationship. Another popular story concerned the ever-unpopular Adeline, who had (according to very unreliable sources) accosted the Russian Ambassador (her parents were the French Ambassadors). This story was completely false but her wild unpopularity ensured that everyone, teachers included, had taken it in as total fact.

However there were two rumours far larger than any other, spreading with incredible speed and calling massive amounts of interest. The first, that Raito 'Light' Yagami, and Misa 'Misa Misa' Amane had, during the week off become an official couple. This was met with massive amounts of distress, interest, and outrage. Most everyone from both genders and all sexual leanings lamented the loss of two sought after prizes. Within the day everyone knew or pretended to know about all the specifics and everyone had an opinion on the matter. In fact there were only two who had maintained silence over the topic, Kiyomi Tadaka and L. Both held a stone-faced apathy about the situation and people soon gave up asking what they thought, instead talking to Matt and Mello who were more than willing to tell people anything they wanted to know.

The other rumour was that about Mello and 'that weird kid with white hair'. When Mello and Near came marching into school, their hands intertwined, a firestorm of whispers had started. _'Are they together?' 'I thought Mello was straight.' 'He was with Sophie last year right? 'Yeah, maybe he's bi.' 'Hey Dave, I didn't realise they were brothers.' 'Mike you dick, they're together.' 'Yeah I can see that.' 'No not "together", together.' 'Wait they're gay, What?' 'Gay, who's gay?' 'Oh hey Jessica, it's Mello and white-haired kid, how was your holiday?' 'What? No way! Becky get over here I can't believe it. And not bad, went to the US.' 'What Jessica?' 'Becky look, Mello's gay!' 'Wait, if he's straight, then how can he be gay?' 'Oh my god Becky, you can't just ask someone why they're gay!'_

'Will you all shut the fuck up?' Mello bellowed.

For a few seconds the hallway had fallen silent, everyone glaring at the enraged blonde in a mix of prying interest and total fear. Then Near tugged at Mello's sleeve, the blonde calmed, and the two continued on. The moment they entered Near's room all the students erupted once more into wild speculation, commenting on how Near calmed the blonde so quickly and how Mello had gone into his room and all that it entailed.

The next day heralded the return of classes. Students were startled into alertness by unwelcome alarms or slept straight through, causing them to have to rush across frost covered grounds to arrive late for class. Roger, who had the first class of the day, was unforgiving of the slow and soon there were as many students sent out of the room as there were students in. After a whole lesson of late arriving students and sass from Neo Roger was at breaking point, and when Mello and Matt arrived forty minutes late they were met with red-faced screams and refused admission. Near watched Mello go.

Near had to confess he didn't like the class at all. _'I only came to Wammy's for the advanced classes, and I don't care about history, so it wouldn't be so bad if I missed it right?'_ Near looked at the board, Roger had scrawled their new topic, 'New Kingdom Egypt', up at the start of the lesson. Near considered how much he valued the course content and whether he would rather be in the class learning or outside with Mello.

In a second his mind was made up.

He would rather be with Mello than stuck in a class with Roger. The door shut behind Mello and Matt, Roger turned back to face the class, the vein on his temple still pulsating furiously. Near's mind span into overdrive, in less than a second formulating a way to get sent out of the room.

Near shot his hand up.

'Yes?' Roger snapped.

'Sir.' Near said politely. 'Have you considered a…' He couldn't believe what he was about to do. 'Chill pill?'

The fourteen out of thirty students that were present turned their heads. None were certain, but they were fairly sure that this was the first time Near had ever spoken in class, and what an amazing first statement. Most people knew nothing about Near, the albino having become an enigmatic figure around the school, known only for he reserved nature and the fact he spent most of his time around the schools three biggest trouble makers. As a result his uncharacteristically rude statement only warranted a blanched expression from Misa, Kiyomi, Light, L, and Neo, everyone else just accepting that this was Near's normal personality.

'Pardon?' Roger said, grinned the words through gritted teeth.

'Have you considered a chill pill sir?' Near repeated. He was trying his hardest to seem cool but he was struggling to contain his nerves. 'A-and you may have a high blood pressure, judging by the inflammation in your face and prominence of your veins, that could be derived from your sedentary lifestyle, it would certain explain y-your…'

Near began to nervously twirl a lock of hair around his finger.

'My what?' Roger asked, his words dripping menace, Near was terrified but Mello was outside and that was enough of a motivator.

'Y-your w-wide girth… sir.'

Silence. Near had been expected shocked gasps and ferocious shouts from Roger, but instead he got neither. Everyone was completely silent, most looking on in disbelief, Misa, Light, and L in wide-eyed astonishment, Neo with a glimmer of pride in her eyes. Roger's face had gone straight past red and was becoming a horrific shade of purple.

'Get out.' Roger whispered. 'Get out of my class.'

Near didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled to retrieve his things, snapping his book shut and tossing stationary into his pencil case without thought. Neo was struggling to keep herself from laughing, the widest grin Near had ever seen on her face. Meanwhile Roger's anger was continuing to build, his tone rising quickly.

'Get the hell out of my classroom.' Near didn't have to be told twice, he was making for the door as quickly as he could. 'Don't you dare think of coming back you ungrateful little rat. I'll report you, I'll call your parents, I'll have you expelled. And don't you laugh Neo, don't you dare. That's it! You can leave as well!'

Near bolted past the enraged Roger and was thankful that the use of the cane had been banned because if it hadn't he was fairly sure Roger would have beaten him until he bled. Instead the old man resorted to verbal abuse, his angry screams pursuing Near as he ran from the room. The albino was followed a moment later by Neo, who was also ejected from the classroom. Neo however wasn't going to leave without a bang, and so as she passed Rogers desk she pounced, sweeping all of his equipment onto the floor with a single swipe of her arm.

Her olive features glowed with delight at the chaos she had created, Roger becoming only angrier. Neo bolted through the door slammed it behind her, closing it just as Roger hurled the nearest item, a container of white board markers, after her. They hit the door with a loud crack, the container breaking on impact causing Roger to become only more angry. Neo gave Near a glance, she couldn't quite believe that this was the same boy from five weeks before.

Near's hands began to shake. He couldn't believe what he'd just done, in his entire time at school he'd never been in detention, never given lines, he couldn't even remember a time he'd challenged a teacher, and when they called home it was because they wanted to praise his amazing results. But now he'd just crossed a line, he'd committed a true act of rebellion, one done in the open day for everyone to see, not a prank under the cover of night. _'Who am I?'_ He thought. _And why did I enjoy that so much?'_

Near clenched and unclenched his hand. He had enjoyed it. A lot. And what's more, he wanted to do it again. There was newfound Near inside of him, or perhaps this was Near and until now he had always been to some extent Nate? A creature slowly shedding skins. Near wasn't certain where this newfound creature had come from, or where it was leading him, but he was ready to find out.

'What brought that on?' Neo asked.

Near shrugged. 'I wasn't enjoying the class.'

Neo raised an eyebrow. 'Is that so?'

'Yes.'

'You've become so rebellious, my little boy is growing up.'

'Stop that.' Near instructed. 'Come on, let's find the others.'

Neo nodded, readjusted her scarf. The two moved off down the hall at a brisk walk in search of Mello and Matt. Neo cast another look at Near as they travelled, she just couldn't quite comprehend that this was the same boy whose room she had walked into unannounced all those weeks ago. What had happened to that quiet boy who played with his toys? When had he become so bold, so driven, so enraptured in others? Had he always been there, just waiting to spring out?

She didn't have long to think because as they rounded the corner they practically tripped over Mello and Matt. They were sitting on the floor with their backs against the wall, a bar of chocolate in Mello's hand and a DS in Matt's. Clearly they had decided to wait inside rather than head out into the cold.

'Jesus fucking Christ.' Mello sworn as Neo ran into him.

Neo stumbled but managed to find her feet before she went tumbling face first into Matt's lap, propelling herself straight over the red head. Near, who had been paying slightly more attention stopped before he ran into Mello. Neo turned and glared at Mello.

Most people would have exclaimed 'What the hell' or sworn, but not Neo. Instead she said loudly. 'Damn it, I'll skin you.'

'Why're you angry at me?' Mello responded. 'You should have been watching where you were going.'

'Whatever.' Neo huffed.

Mello rolled his eyes. When it came down to it he was by far the worst at dealing with Neo. He normally left that sort of thing to Matt, who seemed to have a knack for figuring people out, or to Near, who had a strangely calming presence despite the fact he had no idea how to successfully interact with a human being. As a result Mello had just grown to back down with Neo, always letting her have the last word, because if he didn't he would probably wake up one day with no liver. He didn't like giving in, but he valued his life more than his pride.

Matt decided to change the topic before anything got out of hand. He could see Mello trying to let the situation go but he suspected Neo might keep going even if the blonde didn't try to fight back.

'What're you guys doing out of class?' He asked.

At Matt's interjection Neo soften up slightly. She gave Mello one last glare and zipped her jacket up menacingly. She turned her attention to the goggled red-head, her death glare subsiding to one of minor annoyance, about as neutral as Neo's expressions got.

'We got kicked out.' She said.

'Kicked out, how?'

'Well, more specifically, Near got kicked out and then I got kicked out for laughing at him.' Neo said.

Mello and Matt both whipped around to look at Near. The albino shifted uncomfortably on the spot as they assessed him, Matt lifting his goggles to get a better look and Mello staring straight into the albino's eyes, searching him with incredulity.

'You got kicked out?' Mello said, still searching.

'Yes.' Near replied quietly.

'What did you do?' Matt asked, excitedly.

'Well I…' Near trailed off.

They waited a moment, Near seemed unwilling to tell the story even though half though half the school probably knew already, the unquenchable hunger for gossip having seen to it no doubt.

After a few seconds Neo got sick of waiting and spoke for Near. 'He told Roger to take a chill pill.'

'Oh.' Matt said. 'That's it?'

'And then he called Roger fat.' Neo added.

'You what?' Mello and Matt said together.

'Well.' Near said quickly. 'I just told him to watch his girth…'

He was interrupted by raucous laughter from Matt, the red-head was rolling around on the floor clutching his sides. Clearly he'd found Near's antics amusing. The others all watched him patiently, waiting for him to finish. Matt was showing no signs of stopping and so Neo decided to intervene. She kicked him, hard, her booted foot connected with whatever part of Matt came her way, in this case, his leg.

'Ow, that hurt!' Matt yelled.

'Get over it.' Neo said. 'I'll break it next time. We should head over to our next class.'

'Ok, ok…' Matt moaned, rubbing his arm where Neo had kicked him. 'What class do we have?'

'Math's I think.'

'Bummer.'

Matt, Neo, and Mello all began to walk, but were interrupted by Near.

'Wait.' He said.

'What kiddo?' Matt said.

'Let's not go.'

'What?' Matt said.

'Let's not go.' Near repeated.

Mello stared at the albino, this was becoming worrying. _'When did he become like this? Is it our fault? I suppose the pranking, drinking, and general flexibility with rules was bound to rub off a bit, but this?'_ Mello didn't like the sound of Math's anymore than any other sane person, but he wasn't about to start supporting Near in his newfound rebelliousness. He didn't have a sure fire reason for this, he just couldn't help feel slightly wary about it, his gut telling him that nothing good could come of it.

Near looked to Mello for support, knowing that the blonde would surely back him on this objective, but Mello offered no support. Near couldn't help but feel a little betrayed, why wouldn't Mello stand with him, on this of all things?

The blonde shook his head. _'Did we create this? Did I? He's brilliant and fun like this, more outgoing then I've ever seen him before, which, really when I think about it, is still pretty introverted but whatever, take your victories where you can.'_

Despite all this he still couldn't help but feel uneasy, this Near was exciting and unpredictable.

But he wasn't his Near.

Mello had fallen in love with an intelligent and studious person, not someone who was random and unpredictable. If he had helped create this creature then maybe he could unmake him too.

'Near…' Mello said.

'Come on.' Near pleaded. 'Just one class.'

'I don't think-' Mello began.

He was interrupted by Near, who had stopped him mid-sentence with a strong kiss. Mello was thrown off for a moment, but when Near released him he started again.

'Near you shoul-'

Another kiss, Mello's protests were once again cut short.

'Near-'

A third kiss. _'Is he using my own tactic against me? The dick!'_ But Mello also found himself impressed, so impressed that he was willing to ignore the ominous feeling he was getting about his boyfriends desire for truancy.

Near broke away.

'Fine.' Mello said. He still felt uneasy about this situation but for one day he could let it slide. 'But only one class.'

'That's all I asked for.' Near said with a triumphant smile.

The four turned and made for their dorms, hoping to miss the imminent rush of people coming out of class. Neo and Matt broke ahead slightly, leaving Mello and Near to walk behind silently.

Near felt a buzz in his pocket.

It was his phone.

The buzz continued, someone was calling him. There was only one person who knew Near's number, his mother. He certainly didn't want to talk to her; he guessed Roger had gone through on his threat to call home.

'Go ahead.' Near said to Mello, stopping and pulling the phone from his pocket.

He stared at the caller ID. It read 'Mum' in big white lettering. Near knew that he should probably answer, face the music, and come up with a quick explanation for his actions, go one with his day. He glanced at his friends, Neo had pulled Matt's goggles from his head and was hiding them behind her back.

'Give them back Neo.' Matt said.

'Fine.'

Neo handed something over.

'Neo, this is an abacus. Give me my goggles.'

'Give me my abacus.' Neo said.

'Oh for fucks sake.' Mello groaned. 'And why the hell do you have an abacus Neo?'

Near looked back at the phone in his hand, it continued to buzz. _'I should answer.'_ Near thought. _'But I don't want too. What would they do?'_ Near realised he didn't know, he'd never seen any of his friends interact with their parents before, mainly because they didn't have any to speak of (except for Neo, but Near had the impression they weren't very involved in her life). He wondered what they thought of him and his mother, envious, angry at how she treated him, understanding of how he treated her? He didn't know, he didn't care.

Near pressed the end call button and pocketed his phone, and ran to catch up with his friends.

…

Light sat on the top bunk of his bed, dressed only in his underwear, as per usual of an evening. Beneath him was L, in a white shirt and whatever patterned boxers he wore on a Monday. _'Teddy bear's.'_ Light thought. He shook his head, now wasn't the time to try and remember L's Monday boxers. Light had once tried to tease him about the fact that he had different underwear for each day of the week but L had seemed so unphased that he had quickly given up.

' _No, now is defiantly not the time for thinking about L's habits.'_ Light thought, he was careful to say 'habits' and not 'boxers' as he was certain that he would get sidetracked if he did. And as nice as those fantasies were, Light simply couldn't let himself get enraptured in them, considering he was about to come clean with the boy.

Since their arrival back at the campus Light had tried to decide between talking to L or Misa first. There were benefits and disadvantages with each. What if he spoke to Misa, then spoke to L and changed his mind? He'd have to go and tell her that he'd changed his mind and break her heart in the process. But what if she took it the wrong way, broke up with him, and then he spoke to L only to find out he had no feelings for Light either? And if he spoke to L first what if the boy realised he did have feelings for Light? That would leave both of them in an impossible situation, Light didn't know who he would choose in those circumstances.

No, this was certainly no time to be thinking about L's boxers.

Light steeled himself, jumped down and turned to face L. The boy was curled up on his bed, laptop out and a pyramid of sweets next to him. L didn't give Light so much as a glance. Light was thankful, right now any factor that could influence his judgement was unwelcome. And the brunette had become very enraptured with L's eyes, they were almost hypnotising. If L had turned to face him Light wasn't sure what he might do.

Light couldn't believe he was even in this situation. _'At what point did I start becoming interested in L? I have a girlfriend for God's sake!'_ Light knew that he had to just tell L, be straight forward about the whole situation, deal with whatever came next as it arose.

'L.' Light said. 'Can we talk?'

L gestured to the free end of his bed and Light sat down. He looked L directly in the eye and immediately wished he hadn't. He also wished he was wearing something more than just his underwear because if anything 'happened' it was going to be very difficult to hide, and would make everything worse.

'Yes?' L said.

' _Time to come clean, just tell him. "L, I think I'm attracted to you, I don't want this to ruin our friendship. I'm in a relationship with Misa, and I don't want these feelings to come between that… right? Ah, maybe that's not the way to go…'_ Light closed his eyes, he didn't know what he was going to say, he knew he just had to speak. He had to be straight forward and tell him.

'Did you hear about Near and the gang skipping on class? I guess those three finally rubbed of on him.'

' _God damn it! You had one job Light!'_

'Yes.' L replied slowly. 'I told you, remember?'

Light felt like bashing his head against the wall a few dozen times. _'This could not have gotten off to a worse start if I tried.'_

'Right…' Light said. 'Well, never mind, I just forgot, whoops, I'll just be-'

'What's wrong Light?'

Light took a breath in. He thought about all the possible consequences. The possible future was unfurling before him, he could see everywhere this could lead. There was no ideal, just a worst case, one of hundreds of things that could occur. The possibilities ricocheted away into the future, the future they travelled the further they would diverge. Some intersected again, the same result of a different action, so led into a darkness, and Light could not fathom what lay beyond.

All Light had to do was pull the trigger, roll the dice, test the water, start the ball rolling.

' _I don't have to, I could never tell L, never tell Misa, let the storm pass by, continue on as if nothing happened.'_ But Light knew he couldn't do that, it wouldn't be fair to either of them, and it wouldn't be fair to himself.

He released his breath.

'L, I think I'm in love with you.'

L didn't show anything. His face stayed neutral, his emotions hidden. Light had expected this, he knew that L would react like this initially, it was just who he was. So Light waited, waited for L to say something. The raven-haired boy considered all this, Light knew his mind was at work, _'what is he thinking? What will he say?'_

L reached down to his pile of sweets, picked one up and ate it. 'Oh.'

'I know.' Light said quickly. 'That this must come as a surprise, and I know it's not fair on you to drop something like this out of nowhere. But well, I couldn't keep it a secret, so I had to tell you. I don't want this to ruin our friendship, so if you don't feel the same way then just tell me, ok? I just didn't know what else to do, I know it's going to make everything weird. But it felt wrong to not say.'

Light looked up at L.

'Well?' The brunette said. 'What do you think?'

L sprung from where he sat like a cat, pounced onto Light, pummelling the boy over. Light didn't have time to express any reaction because his lips were occupied with a kiss. It was ferocious, animalistic, as if L was letting go of a lifetime of restraint and giving in to his most basic desires. Light realised he was kissing back, matching L's energy with his own.

' _I want this.'_ Light thought. _'I want L.'_ His mind was made up but he still resisted. The future, the possibilities, the ramifications, all stretched out before him. Light was pulled back into reality when he felt L slide his hand down his leg. He was startled to realise that L's was pulling his underwear off, he was even more startled tor realise that he had no desire to stop him. Instead he began to L's shirt off as quickly as he could manage.

Light gave himself over to the same primitive desire in L, letting his thoughts and concerns get washed away. Perhaps he should have thought about the ramifications. Maybe he should have thought of Misa, what this meant about him and her. Possibly he should have stopped, told L that it should wait until he had broken it off with Misa. But he didn't, his rationality was gone, and all he had left was his passion.

The thoughts about the future would have to wait, because Light was here.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Welcome to the fourth and final part of this story, I doubt there's more then ten chapters left at the absolute most! It's all gone rather quickly! Well theres some food for your thought in this chapter, Near's misbehaving, and nothing good can come of that. And then of course, theres Light and L, they're together now but are there still issues to be resolved, oh most certainly. Yes, oh yes, drama lies ahead! Please leave a review with your thoughts, and stay tuned for the next chapter!_

 _Note: The quote at the start comes from the pinicle of Australian literature, the 'Tomorrow When the War Began' series, it's about a group of teenagers who go camping one weekend and return only to find their country invaded. If you're not from Australia then I seriously recommend you_ _try to get a copy, it's one of my all time favourite books, and a centrepiece of my childhood. (Also Star Wars was good, go watch it)_


	32. Chapter 28: Something on the Horizon

_A/N: Why hello! I thought that after the last chapter took longer than usual I'd try to get this one out a little earlier, so here it is! Thank you to all my reviewers, I don't say it often enough but I really love you guys. Anyway, enjoy the read!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

Mello made the twenty-meter walk from Near's dorm to his. He rubbed his lips, they felt tender and worn, which wasn't much of a surprise really considering he and Near had been making out for the better part of the evening. The albino had certainly improved as a kisser, in the space of a week and a half becoming incredibly confident. Mello was the dominant one in the relationship, and he wanted to keep it that way for when they got really physical. But at the rate Near was going the albino might soon begin to threaten the certainty of Mello's position.

The blonde rounded the corner to his room, he sighed. He couldn't believe Near at the moment. After his truancy on Monday Mello thought he might calm down somewhat, that maybe it had been a one time thing. That was not the case. In fact, if anything, Near had become only more unruly. For one thing he'd stopped asking permission, now if he wanted to do something that was not strictly within the rules he would just do it. He and Neo had had a great time on the Tuesday when they had decided to go to the Food Tech rooms and switch the sugar with the salt and the flour with the baking powder. This kind of behaviour had continued all through Wednesday and into today.

He and Near were supposed to have gotten started on their English projects, but the albino had seemed more interested in locking lips. The weird thing was that usually this level of rebelliousness came at an expense of school work quality, but if anything Near's work quality had improved, he just appeared to be putting less time into it. Mello wondered just how intelligent Near was that he could manage being both studious and somewhat-anarchistic simultaneously. _'But more to the point, why rebel if you're still going to take everything seriously, that seems pretty fucking counter-intuitive.'_

Mello stopped out the front of his room, hesitated before opening the door, taking a moment to think. He wondered how he could have missed this nature brewing in Near, and what was driving it? Near was the second most rational person Mello knew (L coming in first) and he knew the albino would never do something if he wasn't sure he'd get something out of it.

So that of course led to the real question, what did Near want to get out of his misbehaviour?

Mello's hand hovered over the doorknob as he thought. On the Monday when Near had first gotten kicked out of class Mello had observed him closely. Everything had seemed normal except for Near's eyes, they hadn't been ticking over like normal, there had been no calculation, he'd simply decided to act. _'Impulsive.'_ Mello thought. _'Unlike Near, but he is thirteen. I guess he's becoming a teenager, and teenagers are certainly more impulsive, so that makes sense I suppose.'_

But the following days when Near had misbehaved he'd been different. Perhaps he'd been impulsive the first time, but the following days every time he'd gone to misbehave he'd been thinking. It was unmistakeable, he'd been planning, plotting, his eyes were like clockwork. Mello was certain, he knew that look too well, for whatever reason Near was using this situation to try and get something. _'And he's masquerading it as misbehaviour.'_

Mello couldn't believe what he was thinking, _'Near using misbehaviour as a calculated measure to achieve a certain result'_ it seemed so impossibly clinical. _'As if, he's obviously going through a phase… except he's maintaining his work ethic. It's almost like he's misbehaving for a specific reason. It's like he's trying to get a reaction out of someone.'_ Mello sighed, it seemed so ridiculous. But if anyone was going to use misbehaviour as a tool in a grander plot it would be Near.

Mello opened the door, walked into his dorm.

It was dark inside, save for two islands of light. One came from a lamppost outside, it shone through the window frame. There was still no glass, Neo having knocked it all out earlier in the year and the school never got around to replacing it. So instead Mello and Matt had bought a few rolls of sticky tape and just pulled that across the empty frame. Matt had called it 'home solutions', Mello had called it 'fucking shit', but either way it worked, the winter weather was outside, and the heat was inside. The second island of light came from the TV. Matt was on the couch, lying on his back and letting his head hang of the edge. Mello watched for a moment as Matt sent his character trekking around the map, slaying everything that got in his way with a large axe. Mello was actually impressed that he was managing to play whilst lying upside down, but he supposed if anyone was going to be so freakish it would be Matt.

Mello walked over to the fridge, pulling his leather singlet off and dropping it on the ground. He opened the fridge, pulled out a large block of chocolate, and shut the fridge as loudly as he could, just to make sure Matt knew he was there.

'Skyrim?' Mello asked.

'Uh-ha.' Matt muttered.

'Are you sure lying like that is a good idea?' Mello said mockingly. 'With that much blood going to your head your brain might start working.'

'Shut up.' Matt laughed. 'And besides I want blood rushing to my head, it improves my abilities as a gamer.'

'Wouldn't being the right way up when your playing have the same result?' Mello asked.

'You know nothing Jon Snow.' Matt replied, doing an awful impression his favourite Game of Thrones character.

Mello felt like groaning, he wished that they'd never watched Game of Thrones during the summer holidays. Matt had gotten completely obsessed and every time Mello thought he'd escaped it Matt or Neo would come out with another quote just to ruin his day. That wasn't to say he didn't like it, but it had also been the source of no amount of arguments. The worst had been when he and Matt had criticised Neo because Joffery was her favourite character. That argument had lasted on and off for a week and had been the source of great levels of pain.

'How was the make-out session with Near?' Matt asked, never looking up from his game.

Mello sat on one of their couches, it drooped slightly in the centre so he shuffled to the side. 'Fuck off, we were studying.'

'No you weren't.' Matt said. 'I could hear you guys making out when I walked past.'

'What were you doing out?'

'I was with Neo.'

Mello's interest was piqued at this. He'd been watching Matt and Neo recently. They had been spending more time around each other, their entire dynamic shifting. They didn't actually do anything out of the ordinary (at least for them) but there was a spark between them that hadn't been there before.

'What were you two doing?' Mello asked.

'Feeding laxatives to the ducks.'

Mello groaned. 'I swear, you two are to blame for Near's behaviour the last few days.'

'Mm, yeah. What's up with that?'

Mello rolled onto his back, but it wasn't comfortable with the droop in the couch so he sat back up again. He took a loud snapping bite out of his chocolate, considering his answer. At this sound Matt immediately became more interested, pausing his game and sitting back up normally to face Mello properly.

'I dunno.' Mello said between mouthfuls.

'It was all a bit sudden don't you think?'

'Yeah, I guess. He said on Monday he'd gotten kicked out cause he wanted to be with me, but it doesn't explain any of the other days.'

'He might have just enjoyed it, he's hitting that age you know.'

'Maybe.' Mello said. He took another bite. 'But it just doesn't fit with Near. If he wanted to rebel he'd come up with something more clever than this.'

'What to you mean?'

'Remember how he came up with the firework prank? That's what I mean, he's to smart to just speak against the teacher in class, that kind of thing seems so beneath him.'

'You might just be overestimating him.' Matt pointed out.

Mello took another snapping bite from his chocolate, it was more drawn out than the last one, more considered. Matt knew what this meant, his blonde friend was thinking. Matt guessed that Mello's eyes were probably squinted with concentration. When Matt had first met Mello this expression had really thrown him off, but he'd quickly learnt how to deal with it. But if he Mello was thinking it meant he had some theories, all Matt had to do was ask.

'What do you think?' Said Matt.

'I don't think I'm overestimating him.' Mello said. 'Did you here about the chess game? He's incredibly smart. But more than that, he's subtle, he fucking destroyed me and I didn't even see it until it was too late.'

'So?' Matt asked.

Mello took another bite.

'It's like he's challenging, no, taunting someone.' Mello said. 'Every time I look at him at the moment I feel like he's paying a game, planning something.'

'Planning what?'

'I don't fucking know.'

Mello stood up angrily, scrunched his wrapper up and tossed it for the bin. It bounced off and landed on the large pile of wrappers that he'd thrown had missed their mark. The blonde marched to the fridge for another chocolate. _'I don't fucking know.'_ Mello thought. _'That's half the problem. Near and I promised we'd stop keeping secrets, but here he is doing it again. Why does he feel like he can't tell me, doesn't he think he can trust me?'_

As Mello was sitting back down Matt spoke. 'The real issue here isn't that he's rebelling, it's that he's not telling you why.'

'Yeah, ok, it is.' Mello said. 'But I also don't want him to change, I fell in love with an innocent but brilliant soul, not a fucking anarchist.'

Matt was taken aback slightly. He'd never heard Mello talk like that before. 'An innocent but brilliant soul', it sounded so weird coming out of Mello's mouth. But at the same time it was also right. Matt had never seen Mello so head over heals for anyone before, and this was just proof of how much he cared. Matt smiled, he realised that his fear of Mello and Near outgrowing their need for him was never going to come to fruition. He'd always be involved in some way, helping them along, because they were both geniuses with no clue how to help themselves.

'So you wish he'd tell you why he does these things?'

'Fuck, I guess so.' Mello said with a shrug. 'I guess he doesn't realise how much keeping secrets hurts people. I guess I never want him to shut me out, I…' Mello paused, thought about what he was going to say next. 'I don't want to be alone.'

'Well he wouldn't know that.' Matt said.

'Come again?'

'Think about it, you, me, Neo, we've all dealt with real loss. No matter what we always fall back before we really cross the line. But Near, well, he's been hurt, but he's never lost something-'

'He's always been chased.' Mello whispered. 'Never done the chasing himself.'

'Exactly.'

Mello considered this, Matt was right, Near didn't know what that felt like. Near had experienced his fair share of hurt and pain, in many ways more intense than Mello, he'd been abused and violated. But if anything that would make him more mistrusting and secretive, never wanting to expose himself for fear of getting hurt. Mello finished off his bar of chocolate, thinking of all that reminded him how much it meant that Near had even been willing to trust him at all.

'What should I do?' Mello asked.

'Tell him.' Matt said simply.

'Huh?'

'Relationships, your relationship especially, only works when both parties are honest. Every time you guys have had strife it's because one of you wasn't saying something to the other. Near is so used to keeping secrets that he probably hasn't considered that he really can tell you these things.'

'Shit, I guess.' Mello muttered. 'But he promised.'

'Did you ever tell him exactly what happened with your mum?'

'No.'

'Then he doesn't understand how much a promise means to you.'

' _How much a promise means…'_ Mello thought. It was true, his word was a contract, unlike Neo with her hollow threats he always did what he said he would. _'I promised I would chase you no matter where you ran Near, now you need to keep your end of the bargain, stop keeping secrets.'_

'I'll talk to him about it tomorrow.' Mello said.

'Try not to get angry.'

'I'll do my best. Now enough about me, what about you?'

'Huh?'

'You and Neo you fucktard.'

'Oh.'

'So?'

'I dunno.'

Mello groaned loudly. 'For fucks sake.'

Matt raised his arms defensively. He didn't know what to say, how to explain the specifics of his feelings about these circumstances. Instead he stood, went to the fridge, pulled out a block of chocolate and a carton of milk. The chocolate he threw to Mello, the milk he drank straight, carrying it back to the couch and placing it on the ground.

'So.' Mello said. 'What are you going to do?'

'Mels…'

'Man the fuck up, come on!'

'I really don't-'

Mello shoved him. 'No. You do know, you figure people out, it's your thing.'

'Ok, sure, I figure people out, it's my hobby. But Neo, she's…'

Matt drifted off trying to find the right word. There was a pause, Mello decided to try supplying some.

'Horrifying? Grumpy? A sociopath? Hot? Deranged? All of the above?'

'Different.' Matt finished lamely.

Mello gave him a disappointed stare akin to that of a mother who knew their child had just lied to them.

'Fucking really?'

'It's true Mels.'

'No shit!' He said loudly. 'It's pretty much the first thing you figure out about her.'

'That's not what I mean.'

'Enlighten me.'

'Ok ok, calm down.' Matt said. 'Look, with figuring people out, it's kinda like pealing an onion.'

'You cry a lot?'

'No… people have layers, and you have to peal off one to get to the next, but the deeper you go the more people make sense.'

'So Neo?'

'Makes less sense the further I go.'

'Well if anyone was going too…'

'I know, I know.'

Matt took of his goggles and began to wipe them, they weren't particularly dirty, he just needed something to do while he thought. _'I just had to go and get a crush on the weirdest girl in school didn't I? Why couldn't it be Misa like everyone else?'_ But Matt knew that wouldn't satisfy him, he liked Neo because everything was a mystery. Maybe it was infuriating, but every time she told him anything it made him feel special. She lived on two worlds, one this one and one of her own. She was alone in the second world, she never let people get close nobody knew what it looked like (although if Matt had to guess he would say it was probably very dark and always raining). So the fact that she was even letting Matt glimpse at it meant there was something special.

'Listen.' Mello said. 'I'm no love expert like you, but Neo likes you.'

'You think?'

'I'm certain. She threatens your life three times as often as anybody else, that's gotta be a sign.'

'That's not very reassuring.'

'You're into Neo, things don't get less reassuring than that.'

Matt laughed. 'Fair call, so what should I do?'

'Read her a poem? Learn Latin? Kill the Black Eyed Pea's? Offer yourself up for demonic possession? The options are endless.'

'I suppose your right.'

Mello picked up the second controller from the floor and settled into his gaming position. Matt raised his eyebrow.

'Come on, I wanna beat you.' Mello said.

'Skyrim is only one player.'

'Then put in a two player game, come on.'

Matt grinned; he couldn't remember the last time they'd gamed together. He put his goggles back on and went to change the game. _'Mello's always going to need me, and I'm always going to need him, that's just how it is.'_ Matt's smiled widened ever so slightly at the thought, and not for the first time, he was glad to have Mello as his friend.

…

Near, for the umpteenth time that morning, stripped down. He looked at the seemingly endless pile of clothes that Neo and Misa had given him to try on and groaned.

'What was that?' Neo's voice called from outside.

'Nothing.' Near said quickly.

'Good you ungrateful loser.' Neo said. 'I'm giving up my morning free for you, and if you complain one more time I'll use a curse to take a few decades of your lifespan.'

Near shook his head, he really did worry for Neo sometimes. She had a lot of habits and traits that really seemed a bit unusual, but obsession with witchcraft and death went straight past unusual barged past concerning and made their way to just generally alarming. Not for the first time Near wondered where exactly it had all come from, he knew her family ran a large corporate empire, and this didn't really seem to fit with her passion for Latin, poetry, gothic fiction, and death. He'd asked both Mello and Matt about it, but all the former had said about it was 'she's just fucking weird' and the latter had said 'she's a mystery wrapped inside an enigma inside a tortilla inside a corpse inside a ravens breakfast'. They didn't really help Near, but they were both fitting descriptions.

Regardless of her… unusual personality Near was still grateful to her, he owed her a great deal for all she'd done for him. She'd been kind, acted as a bridge into the group, been influential in his meeting and getting together with Mello, and now, on top of all that, she (and Misa) had taken him dress shopping.

Near picked up the next dress, a simple red thing that he guessed would probably be very figure hugging. He began to put it on.

One part of Near still couldn't believe what he was doing. Going dress shopping. If someone had told him a month and a half ago that this is what he would be doing he would have decided they were mentally deficient and ignored the. _'I used to do a lot of that.'_ Neat thought to himself. _'Ignoring people.'_ Really he still did, but there were seven people in his life he made a lot of time for, and they were seven of the most special people he knew, they'd managed to totally change his life, and largely for the better.

Whether cross-dressing was 'good' or not remained to be seen, but Near was willing to give it a go. He'd enjoyed wearing a dress for the Halloween Ball so why not try it out? He couldn't imagine Mello would object, they'd already established that he wore the pants in the relationship, so this was in some ways ironically fitting.

He picked up the next outfit on the pile, a cream crop top with a red circle in the centre and a matching red skirt. Near put them on and the appraised himself in the mirror. It was all fine, if a little revealing.

The sensation of wearing a dress was still strange to Near, he enjoyed it, but he wasn't used to it. But it was in many ways liberating, much like when he had worn his white pyjama's everywhere. They had been a statement, something that set him apart, he didn't want to be thought of as an individual, not a member of a group. By wearing the pyjama's he had declared that he was different and not to be underestimated, it was his way of screaming for the world to see him without ever having to say a word. When wearing dresses Near felt that same sensation, he realised he'd missed it.

Near stepped out of the change room, looked to Misa and Neo for their verdict. Neo motioned for him to twirl. He felt stupid doing it, like a doll, but he did it anyway, he'd learnt not to complain to Neo and to just do what she said. When he finished his rotation he looked back toward them. They both nodded, they didn't seem to have an reservatios about the fact that the skirt barely covered a quarter of his thighs. This could go on the 'to buy' pile. Near returned to the change room, to change out of this outfit and into outfit-whose-even-counting-by-this-point?

While he was changing he overheard a the two girls talk.

'Neo, can I talk to you about something?' Misa asked.

'No.' Neo replied.

Misa apparently hadn't heard Neo's words or didn't care. 'Because I'm worried about Light.'

'And I'm worried for your intelligence, what part of 'no' don't you understand?'

'Neo, please?'

'Fine.'

Near had stopped and was listening at the door now. He couldn't believe it, hadn't Misa figured it out yet? Didn't she see that there was clearly something going on between Light and L? Even he'd noticed and his emotional intelligence was equivalent to that of toddler. But it seemed she hadn't noticed or didn't want to notice.

'It's just.' Misa said. 'I've barely seen him this week and I'm afraid of losing him.'

'Who cares?' Neo asked trying to seem disinterested.

'I do!' Misa exclaimed. 'I do because I love him!'

Near had to hold back an audible gasp. _'Misa loves him? That certainly complicates whatever it is that's going on.'_ Near wondered whether Misa's notion of love was the same as his, the same as Mello's, as Lights? Love was something that Near was very careful with. He'd only ever said 'I love you' to three people; the first his mother when he was too young to realise that she couldn't love him back, that love didn't exist anymore.

The second time had been the night he'd run away from home. That man, _'no, that beast',_ told Near that he loved him. Near didn't say anything back and so that man had hurt Near, violated him, promise to make him scream, scream that he loved him. He did just that, and eventually Near said the words. He stopped believing in love that night.

It took Near the better part of four years to fix himself, god knows his mother was no help. Near began to fear touch and intimacy, he found peace in isolation. He didn't believe that he would ever say he loved anyone again. And then he met Mello, and slowly he began to open up again. Piece by piece Mello helped him, cared for him, brought him out of isolation. And that was when Near said the words, to his third, and final person.

' _Does Misa have the some concept of love as me?'_ Near asked himself. _'Perhaps not, maybe nobody has the same concept of love. But I understand now that it doesn't make it any less potent.'_ Near smiled and quickly put on the next outfit.

'What am I supposed to do?' Neo asked defensively.

'I don't know!' Misa said back. 'Consol me! Tell me it'll all be ok! Give me advice!'

'There is literally nothing I'd rather not do.' Neo said.

'You're the worst person ever.' Misa said angrily.

'Thank you.'

Near stepped out of the changing room dressed in his latest outfit (a leather mini-skirt dark red shirt with a leather jacket thrown over). He was confronted with a scene of frustration. Misa was standing and glaring at Neo, looking just about ready to strangle her. Neo was being typically Neo-ish, a sour and disinterest expression on her face which could only serve to irritate Misa further.

Near coughed lightly, they both turned.

'Oh Near…' Misa said regaining her composure.

Neo flicked him a thumbs up. 'Looking good loser.'

Near ignored her. 'Misa. You can't control whatever is going on with Light, you can only tell him how you feel. So just tell him that you love him, like you did just now.'

'Near…' Misa said trailing off.

'When did you become so wise?' Neo asked.

Near shrugged. 'I'm not, I'm just giving common sense advice.'

Misa smiled, even though it had been 'common sense advice' she still appreciated it.

Near sighed and returned to the changing room. He was midway through getting changed when he was interrupted by the slightly muffled sound of a phone ringing. It was his, buried somewhere under the clothes.

'It's mine.' He called and began to search.

' _It'll be my mother.'_ Near knew that she would be calling about his continued poor behaviour at school. On the Monday he had acted on the spur of the moment, getting kicked out because he could. But in that second he'd seen a possibility, the potential. Near still wasn't sure that he wanted to go through with the plan. He harboured so many ill-feelings towards his mother, after all she had essentially been the catalyst that started the chain of events that led to his being sexually abused. Near wasn't prone to strong feelings, he'd had the nickname robot at school. But if Mello was one end of his emotional spectrum then his mother was the other.

He found the phone, checked the screen. The caller was indeed his mother. His hand hovered over the end call button, even now Near wasn't certain that he wanted to go through with this. Part of him said that he should just try to talk to her, begin repair a bond long broken. But his rational mind reminded him that he'd tried and it had never worked, that there was no point attempting to stay close to her anymore.

He hung up, it would annoy her to no end. Near wondered what his mother would think of him being in a relationship with Mello and the fact that he was taking up cross-dressing. His phone buzzed again and Near picked it up ready to hang up. But it wasn't a call, it was text (he hadn't realised his mother knew how to text.' It read:

'If you won't answer your phone then I'll just come and talk to you in person.'

Near read over the text again. Things were playing out exactly as he thought they would, the pieces were all in position.

…

Light and L both had the morning off; in fact everyone did besides Mello and Matt. While other students had woken up to alarms and had scurried across the bitterly cold grounds to their first classes with pieces of toast in hand L and Light had stayed inside, enjoying a sleep in. They had been totally exhausted yesterday, not much of a surprise really, they were doing a brilliant job of keeping each other awake at night.

Still, at 8:30 Light woke up, white drained sunlight shining in through the window, the same window Mello and Near had used to break into their room. Frost had crawled halfway up the glass, it was going to be a horrifically cold day. But right now Light was warm, wrapped up in covers and with a naked sleeping L pressed up against him.

Light still couldn't quite believe it all. The Monday night he had gone all the way with L, he'd done things with him that he'd assumed he would end up doing with Misa. For the following days they spent pretty much every spare moment together, sneaking back to the room at lunch to make out, dispatching school work as quickly as possible in the afternoon so they spend as much time as possible having sex.

' _Having sex.'_ Light had barely had time to think about it until now, but that was what he had done. He'd had sex with L. Every single evening that week. He hadn't even thought about it, what it meant, he'd just committed to the action.

' _But now?'_

Now he had a few moments to step back from the situation, take in his thoughts, his feelings. He felt so mixed up and wrong, as if someone had just reached inside him and began twisting everything around. His emotions were colliding with his thoughts, and they were creating unholy mixtures that left him feeling wrong, even a little bit disgusted.

Light enjoyed it, he knew that much. He liked it more than being with Misa, and even though he hadn't gone as far with her he knew she would never be able to satisfy him the way L did. But Light hated that knowledge, the certainty of it all. He wished he was doubtful about it, that there was room for him to consider something, anything. But there wasn't; he was certain that he loved L, not Misa, that he loved being with L, not Misa.

It scared him. By admitting, knowing, that he loved L every other preconception about his life was being challenged, every dream and goal had to be altered. Light had always assumed that he would settle down one day, get married, have children. But with L, well that couldn't work biologically speaking. _'How will my parents take this, what about L's parents?'_ That question had kept him awake for longer than he would like to admit. Light looked up to his parents, his father especially; he wanted to follow them into the police force. But what if they were ashamed of him? Light knew that they would have to be told; maybe they'd accept it because he and L had been friends for so long that he was practically family anyway. _'But what if they don't accept it? Would I choose L over them? Could I?'_

' _And then there's Misa.'_ That didn't just make Light worry, it made him feel disgusted in himself, as if every time he did anything with L he might as well be rolling around in a pit of filth and betrayal. _'I've cheated on her.'_ Light hated those words, but they were the truth. _'I've cheated on her four nights in a row.'_ Light knew that he'd have to tell her, he couldn't just break up, she had to know the truth. He'd already come to accept that she would probably hate him, and he was resigned to that reality. Instead he was worried that he might damage her. _'She's like a beautiful and delicate flower, this could crush her. Could I live with that? Hurting her in that way? God I've been so selfish and stupid.'_

'You're awake?' L yawned.

Light hadn't even realised he'd woken up. He rolled around to face him. L's hair was more ruffled than usual, probably due to how much Light had been running his hands through it last night. Light smiled, L looked cute.

'Yeah.' Light said. 'I'm awake.'

L leaned in and kissed Light. Light kissed back, L was softer than had been the other times, this wasn't a sexual kiss but a caring one. Light enjoyed it, more than he had ever enjoyed it with Misa. It wasn't like L was remarkably good, in fact Misa was probably the better of the two. But still Light found more in this kiss then he had ever done with Misa. _'Why do I have to like it? Why do I have to be gay? Why couldn't L have fallen for someone else? Why couldn't I have not fallen for him? Why did I speak to him and not Misa first? Would this have been different if I'd talked to her?'_ Light realised it might have been, but he wouldn't have wanted that. Despite all the conflict he felt, he still wouldn't change this for anything.

He and L separated.

'How long until class?' L asked.

'Like an hour I think.'

L began to climb onto Light. 'More than enough time.'

Light pushed L off. He couldn't do this, not when he had so much hanging over him. He knew he had to go and talk to Misa first, he'd already been incredibly unfair and she didn't deserve it.

'What?' L moaned, trying to get on Light.

'No L.'

'Why?'

'It's not fair.'

'Not fair?'

'On Misa, I have to go and tell her.'

L nodded. He knew Light was right, he just didn't want to think about it. Despite her infrequent idiocy and loud behaviour he still really liked having Misa as a friend. But he knew that he had stolen her boyfriend and she would probably never forgive him for that. They couldn't keep hiding it from her, but that didn't mean he wanted to tell her either.

'Are we terrible people for doing this?' L asked.

'I've been asking myself that.'

'And?'

'And I don't know. Love isn't evil, but is acting on it when you know people might get hurt evil? Can something so pure be so wrong?'

'I don't think so.' L said.

'I didn't either.' Light said. 'But all I do is hurt people where love is concerned. I hurt Misa once, then I hurt Kiyomi, and now I'm going to hurt Misa again. Maybe it's evil if you know people will get hurt.'

L groaned. It was all too early for this, his brain was built for logic and reason, not ethics and emotion. Light searched for his hand under the covers, he found it and gave it a squeeze. _'How did Mello and Near do this so easily? Does Near worry about what others will think? Is he even old enough to be making this kind of decision?'_ All of a sudden Near looked very young, too young. Light was three and a half years older than him and still wasn't certain. He was more stable than Near, more certain in himself. _'For gods sake, Near's just hitting puberty, the absolute wrong time for him to do this.'_ Light realised that Near was still young and capable of making a brash decision, one that could seriously hurt people, more than he himself would probably hurt Misa.

Light made a mental note to check on Near, to make sure he was doing ok.

'I'll tell Misa about it next time I see her.' Light said.

'Ok.' L said.

Light rolled over onto L, their bodies rubbing up against each other. 'Now how are we going to spend this hour?' He teased.

L kissed him, passionately. Light kissed back, with equal passion and vigour. Everything else may have felt wrong, but this felt right. He could be mixed up about being gay, hurting people, betraying his values, telling his family, but he did love L and that was enough for now. _'I'm just glad nobody has found out yet.'_

'Light I- What the hell are you two doing?'

Light and L sprang apart and looked toward the door. It was open, an astonished figure with eyes wide and jaw hung low stared at them. Light cursed the universe, if there was a god then he was probably taking special pleasure in the irony of the situation. _'I was glad nobody had found out.'_

'Kiyomi.' Light said. 'Um, hi.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well there's certainly things happening, Near has brewed up a plan and L and Light have been discovered! I also wanted to give Mello and Matt a scene together because I realised that despite the fact they're best friends i haven't shown just the two of them that often. Things are certainly building up to something, what something I won't say, you'll just have to wait *insert evil laugh*. Anyhow, please leave a review with feedback, any criticsm is welcome, I'm always looking to improve! My family is going away through Christmas so the next chapter might take a few more days than usual! Just enjoy the festive season! Stay tuned!_


	33. Chapter 29: Over and Over

_A/N: Hello my readers! I hope you all had a very merry christmas (or if you don't celebrate christmas then just a good time generally). Enjoy the read!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

'Kiyomi, um hi.'

An uncomfortable silence followed, the Light, Kiyomi, and L all staring at each other. L looked down quickly, thankfully he and Light were still fully covered by the bed sheet, if they weren't then the whole situation would have been ten times worse, and it was bad enough already. He looked back at Kiyomi, her mouth was moving, the shapes of words were formed but none were spoken. L could only imagine what she was thinking, did he share any of those thoughts? Those experiences? Was it like when Misa kissed him to make Light jealous? Or was it like when he found out that Light and Misa were a couple? Was she hurting? Angry? L didn't know, but a part of him felt sorry for her.

Light finally broke the silence. 'Look, let me explain.'

Kiyomi blinked quickly, whether she was returning to reality or stopping tears L couldn't tell, perhaps it was a combination of the two. Light went to stand but remembered he was wearing nothing but the sheet and sat back down quickly. Instead he resolved to hold his hand out lamely, as if that action would somehow make Kiyomi stay.

'I'm sorry.' Light said. 'Please just hear us out.'

Kiyomi whispered her response, her lips trembling. 'No.'

She ran, slamming the door loudly on her way out. Light and L both leapt up simultaneously, with Kiyomi gone neither were worried about the fact that they had no clothes on anymore. They scrambled for the nearest garments they could find, the things they had been wearing the night before. They were scattered across the floor trailing from the couch to the bed, the same path they had taken in tandem the night before, their lips locked at the time, both pulling the clothing off the other in a sexual frenzy.

'I'll go and talk to her.' L said as he picked up a shirt and pulled it over.

'You sure.' Light replied.

'Yes. You go and talk to Misa.'

The certainty in L's tone allowed Light to accept the plan without question. It actually made a lot of sense when the brunette thought about it, Kiyomi was clearly upset and the first thing she might do is tell Misa out of spite. Not only that but she would respond better to L, she might stop and listen rather than ignore every explanation, letting it slide off of her like water on a rock. Light gave L a glance, he was crawling around on the floor without pants, searching for one of his many pairs of jeans.

Light had a thought, it really wasn't the right time, but he was seized by the impulse that he knew all too well and he acted on it. 'Hey.' Light said.

L turned, his eyebrow raised.

'You have a nice butt.' Light said.

L went slightly red and returned to his search, he was focused on the situation at hand.

Light continued his own search for clothing, but that same little impulse, the same one that was the catalyst for this whole situation, the one that made him talk to L rather than Misa, that made him kiss L back, the same impulse that created the chain of events that led to this point spoke again. Once again Light acted on it. He realised that despite all his rationality and intelligence he really had no control over it. He made a mental note to work on that.

The impulse made Light speak. 'You don't want to know what I'm going to do that nice butt of yours tonight-'

'I don't believe this is the time.' L said quickly in a tone of voice Light recognized all too well, that voice of L trying to stay rational and focused. L was now a furious shade of red.

Light smirked. 'Maybe not, but I don't care.'

He and L both returned to their search for clothing, after half a minute finding enough disparate items to throw together that they would be fully dressed, if walking fashion wreckages. He and L exchanged a quick look, an unspoken 'good luck' shared. They both knew they would need it, if that was how badly Kiyomi responded then one could only guess how Misa might respond. Light gave L a quick kiss and then made for the door.

As the brunette was leaving L spoke quickly. 'Hey Light.'

'Yeah.'

'I love you.'

Light gave him a smile. 'Yeah, love you too.'

L watched as Light left, he had to restrain from giggling like a schoolgirl. He couldn't quite believe what he had just said, it had slipped out without him realising. And then Light had reciprocated, _'he reciprocated!'_ The whole situation made L giddy.

He shook his head, he'd have time for this later, right now he had to chase after Kiyomi. He thought about where she might be, _'where would Kiyomi go on campus? What place makes her happiest?'_ L strained himself, he had to figure it out because she had way to much of a head start for him to simply chase her down.

The place came to him and he ran after her.

…

Light could hear Misa's singing from fifty meters away. Despite the fact that the music room had thick and supposedly 'sound-proofed' walls her voice rang through, all the power and control rolling out and over the grounds. She was accompanied by guitar and steady drums, creating a more natural and earthy sound far removed from her normal punk rock operatics. Even her voice was different, she was exercising more control and restraint, beauty being created in her control rather than the passion.

'His crown lit up the way as we moved slowly

Past the wondering eyes of the ones that were left behind.

Though far away, though far away, though far away

We're still the same, we're still the same, we're still the same.

.

Howling ghosts – they reappear

In mountains that are stacked with fear

But you're a king and I'm a lionheart.

And in the sea that's painted black,

Creatures lurk below the deck

But you're a king and I'm a lionheart.'

Light stopped to listen, _'a king and a lionheart, I wonder who is who?'_ He had no doubt that she was singing about them, Misa and himself, it was the only explanation for her change in content. Until now her song choice had always been about obsession and raw emotion, but this was more refined and whole. In a strange sense he felt proud, these were the words of someone who felt confident and safe, somebody made strong. That had been his doing, Misa had always seemed confident, but deep down she was frail and vulnerable. Light had helped her become stronger and more confident in herself.

That pride made him feel even more ashamed. She sounded so happy, so strong, and it was because of him. He was going to have to tell her, steal away that happiness, he'd let himself start down a road, and this was it's end. Even though he didn't love her in a romantic sense anymore he still cared for her deeply, and every part of him said that he shouldn't do this too her. His mind searched for a way to escape, his body told him he should run, continue to pretend, never say anything to her.

Light wondered what might have happened if he'd spoken to Misa first, whether he would be as happy with her as he was with L. _'Maybe I would be.'_ But Light couldn't allow himself to dwell on those thoughts any longer, that future was gone, everything he might have had with Misa was lost. Maybe they would have lasted a day together or maybe a lifetime, he didn't know. But he couldn't have it, he had L, and for better or for worse that was what he had to live with.

Light entered the music room, The walls were covered in posters boasting different composers and their achievements and shelves overflowing with instruments. Misa was on the stage with an ensemble of musicians. Her back was turned so she didn't see him enter, Light's body once more told him to run, that he had one more opportunity not to hurt her, that he'd done so too many times. _'I'm going to hurt her either way, but if I wait it will be worse'_ Light thought, repeating the mantra to make himself stay. One of the musicians nodded at Light, and Misa turned to face him, even if he wanted to run he couldn't now.

Misa's face lit up. 'Light!' She squealed.

The musicians stopped to watch as Misa ran over to Light, the blonde having completely forgotten that she was in the middle of a song. She caught Light in a hug. It stung Light, there was so much love and warmth in the action and he was going to destroy that all. _'No, I already have, she just doesn't know yet.'_

'I need to say something to you.' Light said.

'Me too!' Misa squealed. 'Lets go at the same time.'

'Misa no…'

'Fine, I'll go first.' Misa said with an eye roll. 'I love you. Ok, your turn.'

Light grimaced, he wished she had said anything but that. This was hard enough already. _'She doesn't see there's a fire even though the house burns around her?'_

'Misa…'

'Yes?' She said excitedly.

'We need to break up.'

Misa laughed, not realizing that Light was serious. 'Ok, sure, now what did you actually want to say.'

'That was it.'

'Very funny, but really, what?'

Light groaned inwardly and cursed Misa's stupidity. _'Why can't she get it? It's difficult enough already. Why do I have to burn her? I'm already burning the house, why her too?'_ He remained composed and maintained a severe expression, hoping Misa would notice and catch on a little quicker.

'I'm serious.'

'It's not funny anymore.' Misa said, looking annoyed. 'What is it?'

'We need to break up.' Light repeated. He took in a heavy breath, it was becoming harder and harder to say.

This time Misa understood, her face said it all, her smile dropped and her eyes went wide already threatening tears. Light hated it, he hated it all, but he'd done too many things to allow himself to stop. _'I picked L over her, I made that choice, and this is my penance.'_

'No.' Misa said, her voice quivering. 'No, you're kidding, you have to be.'

'I'm not.' Light said.

'Why?' Misa shouted, tears running down her cheeks.

Light grimaced at the shout. The single word spoke thousands, all the pain, hurt, disbelief and anger, wrapped into a single word. He didn't know what to do, his instinct kicked in, he tried to take her into a hug. Misa pulled away like she had just touched a red hot flame, glaring at Light with betrayal. He supposed that he had betrayed her and that he had burned her.

'No.' She said as she pulled away. 'Don't touch me.'

'Misa…'

'No, shut up! Who? Who is it?'

'How did you know?' Light asked.

'Just tell me!' Misa said angrily. 'Was it Kiyomi? Who?'

'It wasn't Kiyomi.'

'Then who?' Misa demanded, hitting Light on the shoulder. 'Tell me!'

Light looked away from the carnage he had caused, the firestorm he had lit. There had been a best and worst case for how this could have turned out, and this was the worst. He starred at the floor, anywhere, he just couldn't bare to face what he had done.

'L.' Light said.

'L?' Misa repeated, taken aback.

Light nodded.

Misa reeled at the news. 'Why?'

'Because I…' Light began.

'Because you what?' Misa demanded, holding her hands in tight fists.

'Because…' Light began again, he couldn't bring himself to say it, he just couldn't. 'Because…'

'Fine don't tell me, whatever!' Misa said bursting into tears. 'Just forget it.'

She stood and ran from the room, crying and hiccupping as she ran, Light incapable of doing anything except watch her go. The musicians on the stage all gave Light a disapproving look as Misa ran, but the moment she was gone they pulled out their phones, no doubt telling their friends what had just happened. Within minutes the whole school would know that Misa and Light had broken up and Light had hooked up with L, this kind of news spread quicker than a cancer at Wammy's. Light didn't care about what they were doing or who knew, he only cared about Misa. He wished there was a way to undo what he had done but he knew there was nothing.

' _All I do is hurt people.'_

…

Kiyomi shivered and shook where she sat. The shivers from the cold, it truly was winter now, even though it was November. The shaking was from where her crying should have been. But there were no tears, just like the grey skies seemed to promise a rain that never came, so too did her misery demand tears but none were there to be found.

There was no overwhelming emotion anymore. Kiyomi knew she should have been angry, bitter, hateful even, but she couldn't manage it. The day was cold and she was cold. Instead of emotion she had her thoughts, and at this time perhaps they were the worse of two evils. Kiyomi leant her back up against a tree and stared into the forest, observing all it's depth from the perimeter. How much had never been explored, never been touched by a single human? Had they come through, tainted everything, or was there still a sanctuary away from the evils of man? A place of potential and peace? Kiyomi wondered if there was such a place left in her, or if that had been destroyed too.

She shivered again, but it didn't matter anymore, nothing did. She ran her hand across her face, cheekbones high, perfect lips, skin without blemish. Slowly she drew her hand down her neck, long and slender, a sign of beauty by anyone's standards. She ran he hand further down over he breasts, large but not disproportionate. Her hand ran further still, across her perfectly flat stomach and onwards. _'I'm beautiful, I'm smart, what could he see in Misa and L that he didn't see in me? Why am I not good enough?'_

If she had just been beaten by Misa then Kiyomi would have coped, she knew that Misa had certain qualities that she herself did not, more outgoing and open. But now she had lost to L as well, weird and not-particularly good looking L. _'And he and I are so similar, smart, reserved, calm. What does he have that I don't? Why did Light choose everyone but me? I'm Chang'e and he's Hou Yi, this isn't how it's supposed to go.'_

'Kiyomi?'

Kiyomi didn't need to look to know who it was. L. _'Couldn't Light even deign to sort this out himself? No of course not, he'll just send his consort instead.'_ After everything Light had done she didn't think she could be insulted any further, but here he was managing it just one more time.

'Go away L.'

L stopped a few steps behind her somewhere. Kiyomi didn't want to turn to face him, she didn't want to face anyone that had anything to do with Light. It wasn't L's fault, she knew that, but she still couldn't help but resent him, _'he knew I liked Light, but he got with him anyway. He doesn't care.'_

'I just wanted to say sorry, on my behalf and Lights.' L said.

That made Kiyomi angry. 'Light's not sorry.' She snapped. 'He doesn't care.'

L stepped in front of her, she felt like punching him in his stupid sympathetic face. _'How can he find room for rationality and caring? I struggle, Light struggles, Near struggles, so how does he do it? Why couldn't he be a terrible person?'_

'He really is sorry.' L said. 'And so am I.'

'Don't bother.' Kiyomi mumbled.

'But-'

'I'm fine. Just go.'

L sighed and stood, Kiyomi wished he didn't, she wanted him to go but she didn't want to be alone, if he was around then at least she could be angry at him rather than herself. But once again she had managed to scare away something she wanted by just being herself. His footsteps grew steadily fainter.

'He must really like you.' Kiyomi said. 'If he's letting you wear his sweater.'

She didn't have to see to know that L was now going red with embarrassment, he wouldn't have noticed until now that he'd been wearing Light's fleece sweater rather than one of his white shirts. Kiyomi hoped he felt pathetic and stupid for such a mistake but she knew that he was probably fine. Instead she felt pathetic, _'how did it come to this?'_

…

Matt lay around in his dorm, DS in hand. Occasionally he'd give Neo a glance, she was perched on the window frame much like Mello sometimes sat, her head resting on the sticky-tape substituting for the glass she broke. In her hand was a book, an old looking tome with a well-worn spine, slightly faded and covered in creases. Matt had once asked Neo how she coped with spine creases but she had told him that she loved them, it meant the book was loved. This one certainly had creases, generations worth, running up the spine like a pulsating vein. A small defeated tune broke Matt's spell, he looked back at his game, he'd been so distracted that he'd let himself get killed.

'You're not very good are you? I think you should quit gaming and go join the circus.' Neo mocked.

'Oh yeah, and what act would I be?'

'Bearded lady.' Neo said, never looking up from her book.

Matt rolled his eyes, Neo never missed and opportunity. He sometimes wondered where all the sarcasm and deadpan sass came from, he'd asked but she'd always just replied with 'the other side'. And so Matt had been left to try and figure it out for himself. _'But the more I know about you the less I understand.'_

'I'd only join the circus if you came with me.' Matt said.

'Ok.' Neo said. 'But I want to be a clown.'

'Why?'

'I want to hunt down the children with Coulrophobia and make them wet themselves.'

'That's a fear of clowns right?'

'Yep.'

'You afraid of anything?' Matt asked.

'Yeah.'

'What?'

'I have Hippopotomonstrosequipedaliophobia.'

'What's that?'

'Fear of long words.' Neo deadpanned.

Matt chuckled. He wished she'd given him an honest answer, he might have learnt something that way, come a step closer to understanding her. _'As if I was ever going to get a straight answer, all Neo does is hide behind layers of sarcasm and hateful attitude.'_ Matt sometimes thought it was like she didn't want to be understood, he would have believed it too. _'Maybe that's what she's afraid of, people knowing her, it's certainly possible, but I can't prove it.'_

'Good book?' Matt asked offhandedly.

'Uh-huh.'

'What is it?'

'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.'

'Is it any good?'

'It's my favourite book.' Neo said. 'So yeah, it's good.'

'It's about that guy with split personality right?'

'If you want to put it like an idiot then sure.' Neo replied.

Matt sighed. 'Ok, what's it about.'

Neo still didn't look up when she responded. 'It's about a man who separates all of his good and evil qualities, the good into the persona of Dr Jekyll and the evil into Mr Hyde. The two persona's fight for control over his body. Most people think it's about good versus evil but it's not that simple.'

'Isn't it?'

'No.' Neo said. 'It's about ones public and private image, nothing it life is so straightforward that it can be neatly split into good and evil.'

And there it was. The reason Matt liked Neo so much. She was so intelligent, she toyed with ideas and concepts like a child does with building blocks, dropping hints to her thoughts but never saying it. _'Did she mean that she believes that there's no such thing as true good and true evil'_ Perhaps she was, and perhaps she wasn't. Maybe she was hinting at her own thoughts on morality, or maybe it had nothing to do with that at all and she was trying to say that she felt she was like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, somebody split between to warring desires. _'Maybe it's all of them, or none of them.'_

Matt shook his head. It was certainly the reason he liked Neo so much, he could get lost trying to understand her. He remembered that back when Mello and Near were first starting to fall for each other, back when neither had realized they liked the other, that Mello had described Near as a mystery to be solved. _'Maybe that's what falling for someone is, a mystery. Then would love be liked what you found?'_

Matt shook his head, here he was getting lost in thought again, all thanks to the blackbird perched on his windowsill. He looked at her again, she was certainly beautiful, her olive skin and black hair giving her a fitting air of mystery. She was curvy in a slightly voluptuous way, Matt normally liked insatiably thin girls, but his attraction to Neo really had nothing to do with looks. He liked the way he struggled with her, his understanding didn't come easily and it fascinated him. There was no obvious approach, no easy way to get close to her. _'Near is close to her, but she chose to make that happen.'_ Matt wondered what he would have to do to get Neo to approach him like that.

He sighed, _'that's the wrong way to go about it.'_ He thought about what Mello said, that Neo already liked him. _'Maybe she has a different way of showing it for different people?'_ Matt couldn't say for certain, he couldn't say anything for certain. _'There's no guarantee with Neo, it's just a leap of faith.'_

He decided right there that he was willing to jump. 'Hey Neo?'

'What?'

Matt gulped.

'I was wondering if maybe sometime you'd like to-'

'Satan's-butthole.' Neo cursed, interrupting Matt.

'What?' Matt said, immediately alarmed and slightly annoyed too.

'It's Nears mum.'

'What about her?'

Neo pointed out the window and down onto the grounds at a short coated figure.

'She's here.'

…

Mello and Near had had a quiet afternoon at, much to the blondes surprise, Nears request. He'd arrived at the albino's dorm with English notes in hand expecting to have to calm him down and force him to do the work, at least if his behavior all week was anything to go by. Mello still suspected something a bit disingenuous about it, but he couldn't quite place it.

But when he walked in he found two things, that Near dressed in (much to his delight) drag, and that Near seemed more than willing to just study in silence. Mello wanted to believe that it was just because he had calmed down, but there was something, a sensation lingering in the air around him, that dispelled that belief. It all seemed a little too neat for Mello's liking, it was if there had been torrential rain and then a cloudless sky, it just felt wrong.

Even what Near was wearing, a black skirt that was almost scandalously short and a grey crop to that covered barely half his chest, seemed calculated. Like he was taunting someone, challenging them. Who Mello could not say, and he wished he knew.

The blonde sat on Near's couch and pulled out his work, beginning to organize his notes. Near sat on the floor and got out his puzzles and began to construct them at his remarkable pace. Mello wanted to enjoy the situation, he'd wanted things to return to normal and now it seemed they were, albeit a few changes such as Near's much improved clothing.

But it all seemed too perfect for the blonde. He'd suspected Near had been up to something with his misbehavior and this seemed to prove it, _'he just slotted back into his old style too easily.'_ Everything, from his clothing choice to his movements seemed calculated. That wasn't to say that Near didn't normally calculate everything, that was just who he was, but this was more extreme than usual. His clockwork mind had been doing overtime and Mello wanted to know why.

'Near?' Mello asked after reading out some of his quotes. 'What are you up to?'

Near turned and gave him a questioning look. Again it seemed too perfect, Mello couldn't place it but Near was planning something.

'Study.' Near said.

'Damn it Near don't play games with me.' Mello snapped.

'I don-'

'Yes you do! You're planning something, you're doing the thing!'

'What thing?'

'The planning face thing! Why won't you tell me?'

'I'm not-'

'Yes you are, don't lie.'

Near sighed, resigning himself to the fact Mello wasn't going to let up.

'Yes.' He said. 'I am planning something.'

'Is that why you've been misbehaving all week?'

'Yes.'

'Will you tell me what it is?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'Please just trust me.'

'I do trust you.' Mello said, getting angry. 'I trust you not to keep secrets.'

' _I can't believe him. After everything we've been through, after everything I've done for him he still doesn't understand. How is he such an idiot?'_ Mello glared at Near, he loved the boy but his patience was at an end. _'Damn it Near, no amount of excuses and enticing kisses will get you out of this one, and those lovely legs of yours won't work… or that really short dress… or you're cute face… Not that point damn it!'_

Near looked out the window, this only served to infuriate Mello further. _'He's not even paying attention! Fuck him!'_ He stood and strode over to Near, looming over him so as to regain his attention.

'What were you looking at?'

'The snow.' Near answered.

'Snow?' Mello said confused.

He turned and looked out the window, outside soft flakes were falling steadily to the ground, twirling through the air on the faint currents of the wind. It was serene and calm, so far detached from everything that was going on inside. The heat of Mello's frustration felt as though it should have melted the snow, but there it was anyway, the early snow winter of Wammy's.

'They say it's going to be the biggest snow storm in two hundred years.' Near commented.

'Who do?'

'Weather people.'

Mello ground his teeth together, how was Near managing to get him off topic so easily? He didn't want to be angry with the albino but this situation had to be sorted out and he wasn't going to relent until it was.

'Damn it Near.' Mello snapped. 'What does snow have to do with anything?'

'Well she might not come.' Near said. 'If she has any sense.'

'Who?'

'She'll be here in ten seconds if she is coming.'

'Damn it Near who? Does this have something to do with your little plan, just fucking tell-'

Mello was interrupted as Near leapt up and kissed him, their lips locking in a very powerful and passionate kiss. The blonde was thrown off for a moment, but he quickly recomposed himself. Again this seemed calculated, Near had kissed him to achieve something. Admittedly it was a very good kiss, probably the best Near had ever given, but Mello was disenchanted by the hidden motivation behind it all. _'What is this about, what is he planning, who is coming?'_

A shrill and all to recognizable voice filled the room, answering Mello's question of who and giving him an inclination at to what this might be about.

'Nate River what on earth are you doing?'

Near and Mello sprang apart and turned to face Mrs River, who stood in the doorway huffing like an angered bull.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well that was certainly a charged chapter, both emotionally and mentally! Nobody seems particuarly happy at this point in time do they? What is going to happen with Mrs River and L and Light? Something big is coming up next chapte, you'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, please leave a review with feedback (positive or negative) and stay tuned!_


	34. Chapter 30: The Ledge

_A/N: Surprise! Such an early update I hear you say? Indeed! I started this chapter almost straight after I finished the last one, and well, it just sort of happened! So I thought I'd reward you all with an early update rather than waiting! Although whether you'd actually consider this as a reward is yet to be seen... Enjoy! (PS. Strap yourselves in.)_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

'Nate River what on earth are you doing?'

Mello stared at Mrs River aghast, he couldn't believe that she'd walked in on them, it just seemed like such awful luck. _'Except Near was waiting for someone, the little shit wasn't…'_ Mello looked at Near, unlike his mother, whose shaking made it look like she was about to have a fit, he seemed fine, perfectly calm. The blonde looked at little closer, focusing on his window into the albino's thoughts, Near's eyes.

They were squinting, ever so slightly, everything else about Near's expression was calm and emotionless. _'Pure focus, the same fucking face he had during the chess game.'_ Mello realised, Near had wanted this, that just like the chess game everything was slotting neatly into a premeditated plan and just like before nobody even knew that they were being played until. _'Nobody until now, that is.'_ Mello felt his temper rising, he couldn't believe that after everything that he and Near had done together that he was willing to use Mello as part of a grander plot.

'You little shit.' Mello shouted, not really caring that Mrs River was in the room. 'You little fucking piece of a shit.'

'Watch your language!' Mrs River shouted, but neither boy acknowledged her.

Mello stared at Near storm and azure eyes meeting. Near looked Mello up and down, the blonde knew what the albino was doing. He could see Near gauge how much Mello had figured out, how quickly he was putting the pieces in the elaborate puzzle together, predicting how long it would take for him to figure it all out, and projecting his probable response. Had he been in a better mood Mello might have admired the level of intelligence Near displayed without saying a word. But Mello was not in any such mood.

Their stare was interrupted by Mrs River, her screeching voice akin to nails over a chalk board. Near knew that voice, he'd only heard it three times before; when he had put the red clothing in the wash with white, when he had set the garden on fire by accident, and when he'd returned after running away from home. It meant that his mother had gone straight past angry and into fury. _'Perfect.'_

'You have a lot of explaining to do.' Said Mrs River.

Near ignored her and instead glanced out the window.

'That snow storm is coming in.' He said. 'Are you sure you should have come?'

Mello blanched at Near's caviler attitude. He was certain that this somehow played into whatever his plan was. _'But what plan could involve antagonising his mother?'_ Mello wondered. Antagonising. The dots connected in his head. _'His poor attitude, his clothes, ignoring calls, that kiss just now…'_ He looked at Near, the albino couldn't see him but he nodded slightly, confirming the blondes theory. _'He wants to make her angry.'_

'I had to come.' Mrs River growled. 'Because my son has been acting up at school for a week and not returning my calls.'

Near didn't say anything, instead he stepped toward the window and looked closer at the snow that was descending outside, swirling and dancing on the ferocious wind. The snow flakes were just like the leaves in autumn, only colder, more pure somehow. Autumn may have been the time of death, when nature stole the life back from world. But winter, the supposed time of death, seemed more alive than ever. Everything was so cold that it burned, but it was alive.

Mrs River walked toward Near. 'Don't ignore me, I've spent a week doing that and it won't help you now. Do you know what you did? I had to leave work early because you wouldn't answer your bloody phone.'

'I never asked you to come.' Near responded, his voice devoid of any emotion.

'Don't give me that attitude.' Mrs River said, reaching Near and turning him on the spot to face her. 'First I get calls from your teachers about your behaviour, then you start missing classes, and now I come here to find my only son dressed in drag and being taken sexual advantage of by the leather wearing freak!'

Mello felt a twinge of anger at that comment, sure, he'd always admitted his fashion choices were bold, off putting for some, but freak was a little far. But Near's reaction to the comment were far more intense than the blondes own. It was as if someone had flicked a switch, his neutral expression suddenly became intensely emotive, anger, frustration, and, Mello was fairly certain, love, all mixing together.

'That "freak".' Near said through gritted teeth. 'Was not kissing me, I was kissing him. And that "freak" is a human being, not some object for you to judge. And that "freak" has a name, it's Mello.' Near voice had grown steadily over the last thirty-one words from a whisper into a shout, as if he were charging up, preparing for a grand finale. His voice dropped back to whisper. 'And Mello, is my boyfriend.'

Now Mello wasn't certain what to think or feel. He was angry, yes, worried about Near and this plan of his, certainly, concerned about the shade of red in Mrs Rivers face and how it was slowly darkening, defiantly. But at the same time, the way Near had said 'is my boyfriend' filled the blonde with pride. Near had come so far, he was bolder, calmer, more self assured, and most importantly, willing to admit that he loved Mello. Maybe he hadn't said 'love' but he might as well. _'Damn it Near, I'm so fucking angry with you… but… but I love you too. I'm going to murder you, you little confusing shit.'_ Mello looked at Mrs River again. _'That is, assuming she doesn't first.'_

'Your boyfriend?' Mrs River scoffed. 'My son is not gay.'

'Sexuality has nothing to do with it.' Near spat.

'Oh?'

'I love him. That's all there is to it.'

'You're thirteen, you wouldn't know what love is if it fell on you.'

'Oh and I suppose you would?' Near retorted.

Mrs Rivers eyes narrows in much the same manner as Nears.

'And whats that supposed to mean?'

'You know nothing about love.'

'Nate Samuel River.' Mrs River bellowed, her voice rising in a way only a mothers could. 'How dare you-'

'How dare I?' Near shot back. 'I dare because it's true, you're a pathetic excuse for a mother. You never loved, you weren't there when I needed you the most.'

'I was fixing myself.' Mrs River said. 'I was learning to love you.'

'Well while you were fixing yourself I was busy putting myself back together, repairing damage that your negligence created. So forgive me for being sceptical as to your knowledge concerning love.'

Mrs Rivers eyes widened. Mello realised that she didn't know, know what Near had been through, the abuse. _'How could she not know, she's his fucking mother, he must have told her.'_ But it seemed he hadn't, the true scale of the rift between Near and his mother becoming apparent. They were in the same room but they might as well be existing a thousand years apart in time on different planets for all that they knew about each other.

'This is your fault.' Mrs River said, pointing at Mello. 'You're turning my son into some drag wearing, misbehaving, homosexual freak, just like yourself.'

'Hey!' Mello said.

'Leave him out of this.' Near snapped. 'He has nothing to do with this.'

Mrs River returned her gaze to her son. She had the same stormy grey eyes as Near, Mello could see every thought that she had, the contempt, the frustration, the anger, and, buried deep beneath it all, the love, just like he did with Near. He watched as she looked over Near, his outfit, his body language, everything.

'I decided to dress in drag.' Near said. 'Because I enjoy it. I decided to misbehave, because I was curious as to what it was like. And homosexual or not, I'm in love, and sexuality should not change that fact one way or the other.'

'I don't believe you.' Mrs River sneered. 'That boy is to blame. Look at him.'

'And what are you going to do about it?' Near challenged.

'I'm pulling you out, and taking you home.' Mrs River said.

Mello gasped, outside the open door two other people gasped, he could only assume that it was Neo and Matt. The only person that seemed calm was Near. He didn't say anything, he just glared at his mother, arms crossed, looking incredibly powerful for a boy wearing a miniskirt. Mello couldn't believe it. _'Take him home? She can't, she wouldn't? Damn it Near, how could you let this happen, why did you make this happen? Fuck you and your stupid fucking piece of fucking shit plan.'_

'You have an hour to pack.' Mrs River said. "I'll be waiting in the front office.'

'We won't be getting anywhere in this weather.' Near said.

'I don't care if the world is ending!' Mrs River screamed. 'I'm taking you home, and nothing, nothing, will change that fact.'

She stormed out of the room in huff, turned the corner and screeched angrily when she ran into something. That something, or rather somethings, apologised quickly and darted into the room before she could shout anymore. Those somethings were dressed in goggles and a scarf and looked like they couldn't believe what they had just overheard. Near looked out the window and waited until he saw his mother struggling through the blizzard back toward the front office.

The other three were all babbling at him, asking him what to do, how to change her mind, telling him to apologize, that they didn't want him to leave. Near raised his hand to silence them.

'It's alright.' He said, smiling a quiet smile. 'Everything is going according to my plan.'

The other three fell silent, each looking at the small albino with varied expressions. Neo wore curiosity, her usual passion for chaos drawing her to indulge in whatever Near had planned. Matt raised his goggles, assessing Near with his own emerald eyes rather than through the usual cantaloupe filtered eyewear. _'So.'_ He Thought. _'Mello was right, everything was planned.'_ Mello glared at Near, his frustration with the albino and anger with his mother leaving him teetering on the edge of a complete emotional outburst, he didn't know how much longer he could tolerate Near's mysterious attitude.

'And what?' He asked, trying to keep his voice level. 'Might this plan be?'

Mello, Matt, and Neo seated themselves on the bland couch whilst Near stood, dictating the details of his plan to them. Matt squirmed occasionally, he was crammed between Mello and Neo and was only just becoming aware of how much time Near must spend sitting on the floor, the couches were getting close to two months old but felt like they hadn't been sat on more than twice. Neo seemed equally displeased with her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs, wriggling around and never settling on a single spot. Only Mello seemed comfortable, and Matt realised that he must be sitting in the same spot that he doubtlessly sat in when he and Near studied together.

Any other day the constant squirming of Matt and Neo would have driven Mello crazy, but right now he didn't even notice, he was too busy listening to Near's scheme. The albino explained everything to them in the same calm and level voice he used during class presentations. _'The same voice.'_ Mello noted. _'That he used before he became comfortable around us.'_ It was a voice of pure rationality and logic, the voice Near used to maintain a sense of control and comfort in any given situation. Mello had suspected before that this voice was used as some kind of outward display of defence. Indeed the first time he'd really heard Near without it was during the cupboard prank that happened what felt like years ago. _'So this entire plan was defensive somehow?'_

But that theory didn't exactly make sense when compared to Near's plan. The plan itself was intricate and well thought out, Mello might have suspected that it had been years in the making, but he knew Near well enough now that it was quite possibly only a week old. Near explained that his first bought of misbehaviour and his mothers call had created an idea. He decided then to increase his misbehaviour, but also raise the quality of his school work. Near knew that his mother was probably feeling slightly touchy after their last meeting on his birthday and then his subsequent decision to spend the week off with his friends rather than her, so she would respond quickly to any sign that Near was off character. So Near had decided to use the misbehaviour as a lure to get her to come to Wammy's whilst angry and threaten to pull him out of school. This had all played out perfectly, Near incorporating Mello and cross-dressing into the mix so as to make her even angrier. The next stage was going to Watari and requesting that he take him on at Wammy's under the same program that Matt and Mello were on. Near explained that his marks were so good that Watari would be accommodating, allowing to Near to stay on as a ward of the school, allowing him to declare independence from his mother, essentially cutting her out of his life.

Neo, Matt, and Mello all listened to this in silence. The boys looked severe, not at all what Near had expected, their expressions as ironed as their clothes were not. Neo wasn't much better, Near had been expecting practical glee from her, the lover of chaos, but she looked almost disappointed upon hearing Near's plan. The albino finished explaining and asked for their thoughts.

'I have a lot of questions.' Mello said, remaining surprisingly calm. 'But I'll start with this one: why would you do something like this?'

'Obvious.' Near said.

'Don't fucking test me Near.' Mello snapped. 'Just answer the god damn question.'

'Yes.' Neo interjected. 'You've been very naughty young man and are in for it as it is.'

Matt groaned, he loved Neo's personality and the fact that she always had a remark or comeback. _'But could you just this once give it a rest.'_

'Shut the fuck up Neo.' Mello snapped, beating Matt to it. 'Near?'

Near seemed unphased by Mello's apparent anger, having, Matt suspected, learnt to deal with it just like the rest of them had. He seemed just as capable of ignoring Neo's comments, having built up an ability to phase out her voice.

'It's obvious.' Near said. 'Because my mother hated you, she was never going to accept that I was going out with you. The fact that you are male and not female would only serve to exacerbate the situation as she possesses some more… traditional, values.'

Near finished and waited to see what the others thought. They remained impassive, assessing the information, seeing how that altered their thoughts on the whole situation. The issue they were having was just how cold Near was being about it all, it seemed almost inhuman how easily he'd made the decision to remove a family member from his life. Maybe if he'd acted more emotive or passionate they'd have accepted his story, but something about his claim to be doing this for his and Mello's sake seemed disingenuous in the face of such cold-hearted logic.'

'Near.' Mello said finally. 'That's utter bullshit.'

'Mello-' Near said quietly.

Mello stood angrily, Matt, who'd been leaning on him slightly falling and hitting his head hard on the arm of the couch. Matt went to complain but realised that nobody would be listening and saved his breath.

'No.' Mello interrupted. 'Don't do that. Don't believe for a moment that you can use that little voice of yours to appeal to my feelings after you've been such a cold hearted secretive fuck about all this.'

'An emotional appeal seems fitting.' Near responded. 'Seeing as I've done this so we could stay together and be happy.'

'No.' Mello said. 'You haven't done any of this for us. This is just some sick way to get back at your mother for never being sympathetic to you. It's all some kind of terrible revenge over something that she didn't have any real control over. It's deranged Near! You're deranged for thinking that I would support you in this.'

Near reeled at Mello's verbal barrage, his face showing emotion for the first time upon Mello calling him 'sick' and 'deranged'. The blonde saw it, the way the albino's eyes went slightly wider, the way his words tore away at old wounds. He knew that he was hurting Near, but right now it was a necessary measure if it meant he could shake some sense into him. Neo and Matt both watched on silently, feeling both incredibly awkward and compelled at the same time. This wasn't their argument, they had no reason to be there. But it was what they'd lost that kept them there, Near had a mother, a family, and he seemed willing to throw it all away over a childish vendetta.

'Well I thought-' Near began.

'Thats just it.' Mello said, waving his arms around. 'You 'thought'. You always think but you never feel, you never take peoples feelings into the equation, everything is about logic and a way to get things done efficiently. You're so fucking smart but right now you're the biggest idiot. You're an idiot for thinking that this would be a good idea. You're an idiot for thinking I'd ever go along with this. You're and idiot for thinking but never feeling.'

Near's head was bowed now, like a child when a parent berated them for something they knew they had done. He couldn't even bare to face Mello, how could he attack him for this? How could he attack him for not wanting to consult his feelings? Didn't he understand that was how he held it all together? If he felt then he hurt, because some wounds, those wounds, just didn't heal? _'I'm willing to feel for you, isn't that enough? It should be enough. I love you Mello, why isn't that enough?'_

'So.' Mello said. 'Allow me to make this all very easy for you to understand. You can cut your mother out of your life if you want, but if you do, I'll never speak to you again either.'

'Dude…' Matt whispered.

'Or.' Mello said. 'You can go, explain everything, try to fix things with her, and keep me.'

Near was shaking now, whether it was from an attempt to hold back tears or the bottling of anger Mello couldn't tell, the albinos head was still downturned, snowy hair hiding his eyes. Matt wanted to go and hug Near, protect him, be the big brother that he needed, but he knew that he was not yet able to intervene, the situation was not extreme enough.

'Why?' Near asked, his voice cracking.

Matt and Neo were both shocked, they'd never seen Near like this before. He seemed powerless, all the strength that his small frame usual contained drained.

'I thought you loved me.' Near said. 'I thought you would support me with this.'

'Damn it Near.' Mello shouted. 'I'm doing this because I love you. Don't you get that? You don't know what it's like to lose your mother, your only family. I don't want to see that happen to you, I won't let it happen, because it hurts. It fucking hurts. I see it every time I look in the mirror, a fucking scar to remind me that I couldn't save her. But I don't let it control me. I take that pain, I hold it tight and I tell myself that no one else should have to live with it. I won't let you live with that Near. I just won't.'

Much to everyones surprise it was Mello was in tears now, not Near. The albino still wouldn't look up at Mello, too ashamed to even face him. _'I get it now.'_ Matt thought. He'd always questioned Mello's interest in crime and justice, the blonde never really providing an answer about it. But what he had just said put everything into perspective. _'He wants to protect people, save them from what happened to him.'_ Mello crouched down, matching the albino's height.

'Near.' He said, more calmly now. 'Losing someone you love is like being pushed off a ledge, there's nothing you can do but watch as it all become smaller and smaller, until eventually you lose sight completely. But what you're trying to do is jump, and I won't let you, because once you're falling theres no way back, and you don't realise how much it all meant to you until it's out of reach forever.'

Matt realised his heart was beating heavily now, drumming inside his chest. Mello's words resonated with him, the blonde saying exactly what it was like, making it so easy for Near to understand what he, Mello, and Neo all knew. Near didn't know what it was like to have that taken away, they'd all lost parents, he himself a brother too.

'Mello please just…' Near said, slowly raising his head to face the blonde. 'Just let me do this…'

Near's eyes weren't sorrowful like Mello thought they might be, Near didn't seem any less likely to follow through with his plan then before. Mello felt his grip tighten on Near, as if he were trying to hold the albino in place until he changed his mind.

'Damn it Near.' Mello shouted flecks of spit flying from his mouth. 'What don't you fucking get? How can you be so fucking cold?'

'Mello…' Matt said, the situation looked like it was about to get out of hand.

'I'm doing this.' Near said. 'Because I want to be with you, not her. Because I love you.'

Mello punched Near. One moment they were standing there face to face, the next the blonde had drawn back his hand and struck Near across the face. There was a small 'crack' as the blondes fist met with Near's pale face. Mello blow landed on Near's cheek, skin splitting across the cheekbone. So strong was Mello's blow that he would have without a doubt broken Near's nose or left him with a black eye had he chosen to strike those places.

Near crumbled to the ground, the force of the unexpected blow causing him to twist as he fell, like a doll being tossed around. Matt watched wide eyed, memories flooding back. With the sound of the punch came the screams of arguing parents, terrified crying, plates smashed against walls, and, worst of all, Kris, Matt begging his father to hit him rather than his little brother. Before Matt knew it he was standing and making his way across the room. Beside him Neo had also stood, matching his path, but moving for reason more maternal than his own.

'Mello, no.' She shouted.

'Don't touch Kris.' Matt shouted.

He realised what he'd said, neither Mello nor Near seemed to notice, but Neo glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Matt didn't care, he couldn't believe what Mello had done, and a moment later he couldn't believe what he'd done either. he charge across the room and seized Mello by the shoulders pushed him against the wall and began to shake him, emulating what he'd seen his father do to his mother countless times.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?' Matt screamed in Mellos face.

Matt released his grip. _'What the hell was I doing?'_ He looked down at his hand. _'That was him, all him. I was going to be better, I swore.'_ Matt stood frozen, taking no notice of what was going on around him. Mello didn't care what the red head was doing, he pushed past and returned once more to stand over Near.

'I can't fucking believe you Near. I thought you were better, that you might understand-'

Near was slumped on the floor, unwilling to look up, all the energy and will to fight drained from him. Neo crouched over him like a mother, wiping away the blood that had begun to trickle from the wound on his cheek and the corner of his mouth, checking for any other wounds as she went.

'Shut up Mello.' She said.

Mello didn't listen. 'I fell in love with a person called Near, not whatever fucking robot you've become.'

Mello knew the moment he said the words that he'd gone to far, but he was red with anger and in no head space to apologise. Instead the words hung in the air, lingering like a bad smell. Near stood, brushing away Neo, not looking at Mello and began to move toward the door.

'I see.' Near said quietly.

Near ran from the room, Mello watched as he went, no intention of chasing after him. He didn't say anything, Matt stared at his hand, still caught up in his own world. Everything had happened so quickly, one moment there were words, the next a punch, one moment Near was there, the next he had gone.

It was Neo who finally spoke.

'Are you going to go after him?'

She seemed remarkably calm considering everything that had just gone down.

'Why?'

'Because it's your job.' She said matter of factly.

This brought Mello back around, some, enough, of his anger draining. _'Near is the one who runs, and I am the one who chases after him. That's who I am, no matter what.'_ Part of him wanted to let Near run a little further, he needed space to think. But the expression on Neo's face told him that it couldn't wait.

'Also.' She said. 'He doesn't have a coat.'

Mello couldn't believe it, Neo was insinuating that Near would go outside, in the middle of a blizzard. It seemed impossibly idiotic, even for an irrational and upset Near. But then again, last time they'd fought he'd run straight into a thunderstorm, even when he was afraid of thunder. Mello ran over to the window and looked out, and sure enough he could make out the figure of Near, dressed in clothes that wouldn't even keep someone warm on a slightly brisk summers day, running through the snow. In the short few seconds that Mello looked the snow increased in density, the amount of flakes in the air rising so quickly that it was almost unbelievable. _'The biggest snow storm in two hundred years and Near is out there.'_ Mello assessed the direction Near was going. _'He's not going toward a building… he's running straight off campus? Jesus Fucking Christ! Does he know? The fucking idiot!'_

'Come on.' He said to Neo and Matt. 'We have to go after him.'

They didn't need to be told twice. Neo, the only one who seemed to be level headed about it all, ran to Matt and Mello's room to grab coats. Matt began to move. Near was running away into the distance. Except to him it wasn't just Near. It was Kris all over again, a young boy, distressed, scared, hurt, feeling alone, running away. But this time Matt could do something. It wasn't like before when Kris had run away and there had been nothing he could do, this time he could stop him. He could bring his brother home. _'That's what Near is, my brother, just like Mello.'_

He and Mello ran out of the room, practically colliding with Neo who returned with four coats. She threw one at him, one at Mello, began to sling the third over her shoulders, and gripped onto the fourth, and thickest, as tightly as she could. Without another word they all dashed down the stairs and toward the door, out into the snowstorm.

The air was freezing, the snow assaulted their face, slipping between their lips. In the minute it had taken them to mobilise the snow had become even worse, they could barely see ten meters in front of them. The wind howled, pushed so hard against them, as if trying to usher them back inside. But they fought against it, calling out Near's name.

Matt ran desperately after the albino. _'I'm not going to let it happen again, I'm not.'_ But Nears footprints in the snow were already gone, the trail lost. The snow thickened even further, it was becoming almost impossible to move forward.

'We have to go back inside.' Neo shouted, being the voice of reason.

'We can't.' Mello shouted back, his voice barely audible over the wind. 'He could die.'

'So could we.' Neo shouted back. 'We're never going to catch up.'

She took Mello and Matt by the hand and began to pull them back. They both began to step with her, defeated. Deep down they knew she was right, they just didn't want it to be true. Mello gathered up everything left and projected it into a single shout. He hoped that Near might here it, that it might draw him back.

'Please!'

That single word rode on the wind, mixing with gusty howl and swirling alongside snowflakes until it finally reached Near. The albino heard it, the single word echoed around him. He could hear Mello's voice in the plea, but it was so far removed and distorted by the wind that the word no longer belonged to anyone. It was the winds and it raged around him until it faded into silence. Near couldn't tell from where it had come. he didn't know where he was.

Near felt his heart race, pounding in his chest and ringing in his ears. His head had begun to ache, as if someone were stabbing his head with both searingly hot and bitingly cold needles. Every part of Near's body was frozen, he could tell his was crashing toward hyperthermia and frostbite, a destination he would reach within fifteen minutes (by his calculations) if he stayed outside. But despite all the cold his body was sweating, hot beads of running down his forehead and arms. His arms began to spasm with pain, not pain because they were contracting from the cold, but other pain, pain without a physical catalyst.

Even in his emotional state Near was able to put the pieces together. Sweat, racing heart, headaches, muscle pain.

He was having a break down.

The punch, Mello's words, everything, it was just like that night.

'It's all my fault.' Near uttered between sobbing gasps. 'It's all my fault, it's all my fault…'

 _'Mello is right to hate me, why shouldn't he?'_ Near didn't know what he wanted anymore. He staggered onwards, the blizzard now so think that when combined with the night's darkness, meant he couldn't see even his hand in front of him. Near wanted to run back to his dorm, back to Mello, to apologise, to fix everything. But he couldn't. He couldn't figure out where he was or where he had been.

So he staggered onwards. Muttering the same four words over and over, hoping his blind wondering would lead him to shelter, even though he knew the odds were against him. Near felt his hand brush against something. His fingers were so numb that he couldn't make out anything based on sensation. So he ran his hand over the object, the smooth curve felt familiar, he'd run his hand over the surface before.

The bridge into town.

He gripped it tightly and walked along, letting it lead him toward potential shelter. Near could barely keep his thoughts and movements coherent, the snow was sapping energy from him so quickly that he felt like he was about to give in and collapse. _'It's all my fault. I drove him away for good. Why couldn't I just love her? Why couldn't she just love me? Why couldn't I just be normal? I hate myself.'_

Nears eyes began to droop shut, he fought to keep them open. He began to make out a colour other than black and white. Yellow. Warm inviting yellow, a soft glow from heated houses. He staggered toward the yellow, every step a struggle, his energy so low that he knew he only had moments before he gave in completely.

He ran into something.

A flat metal surface. A wall or a door, he couldn't tell. The recoil from the impact took the last of his energy and his legs gave way. Near felt himself hit the concrete ground hard and was glad that it was covered in a layer of snow.

Near's eyes began to close again, darkness engulfing his vision. He felt strangely detached, as if he were viewing his body from the outside. Near couldn't actually see it, but he knew how white he looked, he knew that his body had progressed from shivering to stillness. His body was stiff and still like a corpse.

Near's eyes slid shut and his world went black.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well that was a tad dramatic... please don't hate me for writing all that! I imagine you're all worried about Near, so let it be known, I'm a very big fan of character death... anything could happen... anything at all... This chapter was essentially what everything has been building to, the backstories for the Near, Mello, Matt, and Neo, all of their seperate issues and the like. I'm actually quite pleased with how neatly it all slotted together. I'm sorry to anyone who wanted some of L and Lights story arc, I was going to include some, but by the time I'd written this one I'd hit 5000 words and I felt like putting in even more would have been overkill. Plus I think I might have detracted from everything that went on here. I dunno. Anyway, please leave a review, all feedback welcome, etc, etc, you get the idea. Stay tuned for the next chapter! Oh and Happy New Years!_


	35. Chapter 31: Want Him Back

_A/N: I know you're all only interested in finding out what happened to Near, so I won't waste any more of your time. Enjoy._

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

'How is he?'

'Who Mello?'

'No, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, yes of course Mello.'

'God calm down!'

'I guess we're all a bit touchy.'

Touchy was an understatement.

Neo, Mello, and Matt had been inhabiting the same space for two and half days and the strain was beginning to show. After Near had run away they had gone to Near's mother and explained what had happened. She responded with a string of abuse, clawing at Mello's face which left a scratch opposite his burn scar, and her eventually being led away by Watari and Roger to the teachers building to calm down. Miss Naomi had then told them to go back to their dorms telling them that nothing else could be done.

Neo, who was the only one of the three who seemed remotely capable of rational thought, escorted Matt and Mello back to their dorm before she made for her own. She wish she hadn't. By the time she had made them shower and prepared a hot drink the storm had become so fierce that it would have been foolish for her to attempt returning to the other building. So she had spent the night in Matt and Mello's dorm, crashing on their couch.

The next day they awoke to see the snow was not storming but still falling, and the grown covered in a meter and half high layer of the white powdery stuff. Even if Neo had wanted to go back to her dorm she couldn't, and with the snow still falling it was probably going to be another day before she could. So instead she stayed in Matt and Mello's room, the three exchanging only the occasional veritable silence would have been easier to maintain had the power not been out. Unfortunately it was and there was no sigh it would be coming back on until people could go outside. Matt still had his hand held devices but he managed to run his PSP, DS, 3DS, Gameboy Colour, and Gameboy Advanced out of batteries remarkably quickly, saying he'd forgotten to charge them.

Neo was having as little luck as Matt, with her library of books in a different building she was left without any literature, seeing as Matt and Mello kept no books themselves. She had even resorted to scouring the rest of the building but had found nothing but a copy of the Twilight Saga. She had taken it anyway, and fifteen minutes later the faint scent of smoke filled the second floor, students coming out of their dorms to find Neo had lit a fire with the books so as to 'fend off against the white fangs of that infernal beast called winter'. That was what she said anyway, anyone who knew her knew her real reasoning was just a hatred for Twilight.

It was Mello, however, who was having the worst time of all. After his shower he'd sat on the window sill as he liked to do, leaning his head against the glad-wrap-serve-glass-proxy. Since then he hadn't moved at all, just staring out the window longingly and demanding that Matt fetch him a chocolate. In the end Matt had grown so sick of getting chocolate for the blonde that he'd taken every bar they had and dumped them within arms reach of Mello. Two hours later Mello had run dry, and the combination of his chocolate withdrawals, anger at Near, and self loathing over what he'd said left him an incredibly unpleasant person.

'You know, saying we're touchy doesn't actually serve as an apology for snapping?' Matt said.

'Like I was ever going to apologise.' Neo responded.

'Fair point.' Matt chuckled.

They both looked over at the blonde, neither knowing what to do or say. He hadn't moved, so he hadn't showered or shaved, not that there was any hot water left. He was a wreckage, letting Near run off had opened up old wounds for him, just as they had for Matt. The red head hadn't told anyone, but his nightmares had returned, he hadn't had any for years, but upon his attacking Mello and letting Near run off they'd begun to plague him once more. For the last two nights he'd dreamt of his father hurting him, and then he himself hurting his friends in turn, not because he wanted to, he just didn't know what else to do. His mother and Kris were there too. Well not alive. He'd see his mothers body, and how he imagined Kris' might have looked. Then Kris' body would change into Near's and he'd wake up in a cold sweat, panting, and glad that Neo and Mello were both heavy sleepers.

 _'If that's how bad it is for me, I can only imagine what it's like for Mello.'_ He knew they all wished that the power was working, because if it was then the phones wouldn't be out of action, and if they were working then they could make some calls to see if Near had been found. But no phones were working, and so they were left wondering, hoping, that he'd made it somewhere, anywhere. They all knew he could be at L and Light's, less than two hundred meters away, and that possibility was a likely explanation. But despite all that their minds kept wondering to worst case scenarios, that Near hadn't made it, that his little body was out there somewhere, exactly where he had died, frozen in time like the bodies at Pompeii, only instead of ash, he was covered in snow.

'Can I talk to him?' Neo asked.

'You can try.' Matt replied.

She readjusted her scarf with determination.

'Ok.' She said.

Matt marvelled at her tenacity. Neo was one of the most apathetic people he had ever met, usually deflecting everything with a mix of sarcasm and derisive comments, only ever taking an interest in literature and anything to do with witches or death. But as Matt was starting to understand, that list of things she cared about also extended to her friends. She would act like she didn't care, but she did. It was never in the things she said, but rather the things she did, the way she was at Near's side the moment Mello punched him, or how she had been there to help teach the albino to dance, or the fact that she forked out over two hundred dollars weekly for their ridiculously costly trips to BB's. The night before she had said 'I'm going to have to crash here again, because there's no way I'm getting back to my room and you guys are the only friends I have'. But Matt was starting to understand Neo, she still made no sense, but he was at least understanding individual elements of her personality. _'She said "only friends I have" but that's not what she meant. What she meant was "only friends I want".'_

As he was having those thoughts it hit him, Matt understood. He really wanted to be with her. He wasn't willing to wait for the perfect moment like Mello and Near or for fate to force them together like with Light and L (he knew now, the news having spread across the school). He wanted to be with her, badly. For the last two days he'd been sharing a hell of self-pity and worry on Near's account, and maybe the other two were happy like that but he wasn't. Matt knew he had to move forward, prove that he could still do good, still be happy. Before he even knew what he was doing he had opened his mouth and was speaking, not even certain about what he was going to say.

'Hey Neo.' He said, stopping her before she went to talk to Mello.

'Yeah?'

'Do you wanna go and get, you know…'

'Drunk?'

'Coffee? Like at BB's when the snow is gone. Just the two of us.'

'Are you…' Neo said slowly, taking in what Matt had just said. 'Asking me on a date?'

'Yeah.' Matt said, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

Neo pulled a sour expression, the if Matt didn't know any better, was verging on a smile, not a cruel or sadistic smile, but a genuine smile of someone terribly flattered. Neo turned away and recomposed herself quickly, taking less than a second, and returning her gaze to Matt to answer him.

'Ok.' She said. 'Lets do it.'

'Cool.' Matt said, relieved.

'Good.'

'Great.'

'Super.'

'Excellent.'

'Perfect.'

'Swell.'

'Did you just say swell?' Neo said with an incredulous giggle.

'Shut up.' Matt replied. He struggled not to make fun of the fact that Neo had just giggled and so seized the next thought that struck him. 'Weren't you going to talk to Mello or something?'

'Yeah, I'm gonna try and make him feel a little better.'

'Thats unusually altruistic of you.' Matt commented, taken slightly aback.

'Altruism has nothing to do with it.' Neo said. 'I'm just sick of him sighing loudly every time I try to talk. So it's this or a cut his tongue out.'

Matt rolled his eyes. The same principle of Neo never saying what she meant applied here too. He was certain that she was doing this for Mello's sake, because she really cared about him as a friend, but she would never say it out loud. Because if there was one thing Matt was even more certain of, it was that Neo both loved and loathed her scary image, and wouldn't know what to do without it. Whether that was for better or worse he was yet to decide.

'Well good luck with that.' Matt said. 'I'm going to be in a different area of the building just as, you know, a precaution in case something goes wrong.'

'Thanks for the vote of confidence.' Neo deadpanned.

'Anytime.' Matt replied with a wink.

Neo rolled her eyes and walked over to Mello. She couldn't believe herself. _'Did I just agree to a date with Matt, did I just giggle? At something he said? I'm like Misa, ugh! Well at least I'm not like Adeline… not the point!'_ It was only now that she realise how worked up she'd been about Matt, a small load had been lifted from her, it had grown like a cancer, slow and insidious, and only now it was gone did she know how much it had dragged her down. Now she had a whole new worry, and that was that she was going to somehow destroy her date with Matt. Neo was well aware of how much time she spent distancing herself from people, she'd always held them at an arms length, and now she was beginning to really let someone close for the first time since her mothers death. It was making her slightly hot under the proverbial collar. _'Still if I can manage it for someone it'll be Matt.'_

She turned her mind to the task at hand, Mello.

'Hey.' She said, sitting herself on the couch arm, facing the blonde.

He mumbled an inarticulate response.

'How're you…' She had to force out the last word with a lot of perseverance, it was a topic she usually avoided like she did shallow people. '…feeling?'

This got Mello's attention. He turned to face her properly, and she was startled to see how drained he looked. His usually angry and red face was pale and pasty, there were bags under his eyes that would rival L's and the eyes themselves were bloodshot and puffy.

'I don't know.' He said. 'Angry I think.'

'Is that so?' Neo said, trying her best not to commit ritualistic suicide, which in her opinion was more preferable to a conversation about ones feelings.

'I'm angry at him I think, and his mum, but more than anything, I'm angry at myself for letting him go. What if he's dead out there because I shouted at him, it would be all my fault. We should have found a way to sort it out rather than shouting, I mean what if the last thing I ever did was shout at him, how stupid would that-'

'Ok.' Neo said, standing and throwing her hands up. 'I'm going to have to stop you right there but my cliche alarm is going off, so you're going to have to come up with something more original to say.'

Mello looked hurt, he huffed loudly and returned his gaze out the window, over the snow coated grounds and off into the distance. _'Right, lets go.'_ Neo thought. In truth she had never planned to listen to Mello spill his guts, she didn't care enough to be truthfully sympathetic, that was much more Matt's domain. No she always considered herself the realist, and she was about to feed Mello a mouthful and a half.

'Ok, listen up.' She said. 'I get you're feeling all cut up about Near possibly being dead. But stop being so self-centred and think about this, yes that's right genius boy, think. You and near are two of the smartest people at this school which makes you two of the smartest people in the world but you have a weird 'cancelling effect' on each other, because the moment you're around him neither of you seem capable of putting together a single, god damn, rational rational thought! So now you're just sat here being so angry at Near, his mum, yourself, eating enough chocolate to kill a small whale and cause cocoa farmers to double their slave labour force out of demand. Yes, I get it you're angry, upset, all that but please apply your brain for just a moment.'

Neo finished panting, she had shouted every single word at Mello, who looked like someone had just slapped him, and Neo supposed that someone, or rather something, had. It was reality, she was just the messenger. She sighed, rubbed her hands over her face to calm herself down, and began again before Mello had a chance to speak. She managed to keep herself restrained to calmer, almost affectionate, tone. It was the closest Neo had ever come to sounding sympathetic.

'You used to be better.' She said quietly. 'Did I ever tell you that I had a crush on you last year because I did. And I liked you because you were better. The Mello I knew wouldn't let this sort of thing keep him down, Sophie hurt you and you shot right back. You were tougher, smarter, and wouldn't end up in a depressed sepiral of angry self loathing every time something went wrong. I miss that Mello, I want him back. Rather than shouting at Near every time something goes wrong, just take a moment and calm it, I know he pushes all your buttons, it's why you work. Matt and I lost him as well, it's not all on you. We're all feeling guilty, worried, whatever adjective you want to use, we're feeling it, but we haven't spent the last two days semi-vegetative over it. Stop being so pathetic, be the guy I loved last year, be the guy that Near still loves, because I know he does. I miss the old you, the better you, I just want him back. We all do.'

Mello looked no less attacked, but at least less victimised. The angry expression was gone, and there a little bit of colour back in his face. Neo knew her words had worked somewhat and that maybe the blonde might start to behave like a human being again.

'Look. I'm sorry, actually, no, I'm not sorry, you needed to hear it.' She reached into her pocket and pulled out a sealed envelope. 'Now this is going to act as your motivation. It's for you and Near from me, and it can only be opened when you find him again.'

'What if he's dead.' Mello asked softly.

'He's not.'

'How do you-'

'I just do, attribute it to a seance with spirits or a gut feeling, I don't care, he's not dead. That much I know.'

Mello took the envelope. It had been wax sealed, Neo apparently having acquired her own signet ring to use, because the insignia on the seal bore a raven and a string of expletives that were better left unsaid.

'Now for God's sake go and find him or something.'

And with that she marched out of the room, adjusting her scarf and muttering something under her breath, leaving Mello to think.

…

L and Light had, like everyone else at Wammy's, been holed up in their dorm building for two and a half days straight. Like everyone else, their internet was down, their devices were out of battery, the electricity and hot water was off and they were stuck with whatever week old food was in their fridge that wasn't refrigerating. Unlike everyone else they were perfectly happy with the arrangement. Because unlike Dave and Jack two doors down, who were moaning every three to four minutes about how 'lame' the situation so loudly that everyone on the entire floor could hear them, or Becky and Jessica, who had rearranged their furniture for the seventh time in forty eight hours, L and Light were perfectly content with their situation.

In fact neither felt a particular urge to leave their room at all, unlike the other students who convened for conversation that followed the same bland topical track every half an hour or so. Part of their contentment was due to the fact that they had each other. Light still managed to find time to be amazed at just how 'assertive' L was physically. Much like with Misa, their every physical interaction was a war of power and control. Unlike Misa, who had always submitted in the end, L knew that he was on a level footing with Light in most every aspect of their life, so he wasn't about to let their sexual activities be any different.

But as much as they might have wanted it to be, their infatuation with each other was not the only thing keeping them confined to their room. The news about the split up had spread around the school at a speed that completely outmatched any of Lights predictions. He knew that the ravenous students would eat of the news and produce more theories than a star wars internet forum, but none of his predictions came even close to reflecting the scale of the situation in reality. By the time he had reached his next class after breaking it off with Misa it seemed that everyone knew, teachers included. He had entered the room and was met by a chorus of gossip which quickly calmed into silent stares. This told him, more than any amount of stories and rumours, what the students thought of him, and L.

Everybody despised them.

Every girl, despite having self-admitted crushed on the brunette, leapt to Misa's defence and labeled Light 'unfaithful' and 'perverted' and 'disgusting.' Every guy at the school was either angry at Light for breaking it off with Misa, a veritable insult to the most sought after girl at the school, whilst thankful that he'd given the opportunity to play rebound. Every gay guy at school hated Light for choosing L instead of them. Light received the heaviest amount of hate, but L wasn't much better of either. So they had elected to stay inside their room and wait for everything to blow over. Unfortunately being trapped in a building with no way of acquiring new gossip left the buildings occupants to regurgitate and redigest the same piece of gossip over and over. So after two and half days the level of animosity directed at Light and L (at least from the people within their dorm building) had multiplied a manifest amount of times rather than wane and dwindle as they hoped it might.

Now, Light and L sat on their couch, both dressed only in their underwear, hands intertwined, both silently enjoying the company of the other. Once again Light was left to question his recent actions. Were they virtuous? No. Were the right? Perhaps? By who? Who was better off for it? _'L.'_ Was he? How would has parents take the news? If they took it badly and pulled L out of school on account of separating him from Light they could both end up worse off emotionally.

'L.' Light said. 'How do you think your parents are going to take the news that we're together?'

L considered this.

'I don't know.' He said honestly. 'I'd like to think that they would accept it. Perhaps because they've know you for so long they will take it better. Or maybe that will make it worse. I can't say for certain.'

'Does it worry you?'

'A little.'

'Only a little?'

'We can't the unforeseeable and the uncontrollable own us. If we do, then we lose what is now.'

'I like it when you get philosophical.' Light said with a smirk.

L smirked back and then landed a quick kiss on Lights lips. _'God I love him'_ Light thought. L's words had managed to put him at ease slightly. _'Perhaps there is no right and wrong with love. Love just is.'_ Light was certain that this line of thought was going to plague him a fair bit more, as long as people scorned him and L it would be a problem for him, but for now it was ok.

Light wondered why people had taken so badly to the news, it seemed as much homophobia as it did anything else. It didn't make sense to Light, because the news about Mello and Near had been just and big, but it had not been met with animosity by a single student, just widespread curiosity. _'Maybe it's because they were already considered a bit weird, so what was being gay on top of that? Do people hate L and I because we were meant to be normal? Well L was never normal, but people thought I was, it would explain why theres more anger directed at me.'_ Light disliked the explanation because it made perfect sense. _'As long as you were never normal in the first place it's ok to be gay?'_ Light was disgusted. It was that base level of discrimination that he detested in so many people, it's why he liked L, because it wasn't there in him. Light wished there was something he could do to teach or remove those people, change the face of the world, remove that hatred. _'No point dwelling on things that don't exist. There can be no supernatural answer to the scum of the human psyche.'_

…

Kiyomi marched in to Misa's dorm room. She'd spent the last two days building this up. She was determined to do something nice, to comfort, to be there for someone in need.

Everyone in the school knew about L and Light now, and everyone in their snowed in building knew exactly how Misa was taking the news. For two and a half days now she'd not left her dorm. Occasionally crying could be heard through the walls. Neo was in a different building, if Kiyomi had to guess, with Matt, Mello, and Near, and as such, Misa's first (and unusual) choice of a shoulder to cry on was gone. Kiyomi had often wondered how Neo had managed it, always being there to comfort a distraught Misa. It was something that no one except the most hormonal males at the school desired, and yet somehow Neo managed to do it over and over again. But there was no Neo, and so Kiyomi had decided to step up.

Kiyomi pushed open the door to Neo and Misa's dorm. Hung on the door was a sign upon which the words 'Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate' in a flowing gothic calligraphy. Neo had once told Kiyomi that it was a quote from Dante's Inferno and it meant 'abandon hope, all who enter' or something along those lines. Under the sign in pink markers was written 'Misa Misa and Neo's room'. This was written in a girlish-cum-childish scrawl. Kiyomi reflected on how that perfectly summed up the relationship between Neo and Misa. The former was always horrible and the latter always found a way to excuse it, in return Neo would be there for Misa when she needed it the most.

The interior of the dorm reflect this duality, with a neat line dividing the room. One side decorated in a girlish punk-pop themed style, complete with electric guitar a stack CD's and 'Enamal' and 'My Chemical Romance' posters. The other side was all books, quasi-gothic furniture, and weird assorted trinkets. Kiyomi noted that Neo had doubled her stuffed Raven collection, a grand total of sixteen now scattered across her side of the room.

And on the bed was Misa, looking pathetic and downtrodden, like a puppy that had been kicked, left for dead, out in the rain. Even now, whilst in the middle of what Kiyomi assumed was a mild depression, she managed to look amazing. Her face was blotchy and red from two days of on and off crying, her hair was disheveled and her clothes creased and yet she still looked more desirable than 95% of the girls at the school. Kiyomi hated her for it.

'Hey.' Kiyomi said softly. 'How're you going?'

'How do you think?' Misa said. 'My life is terrible.'

'All boys are monsters.' Kiyomi said consoling her.

'Yeah, I guess.' Misa agreed. 'But… but…. I still love him.'

She burst into tears, hiding her face away by pushing it into her pillow. Kiyomi looked at Misa. She had come to the room to comfort her, but how could she now? All she saw was the unworthy piece of rubbish, now exposing her true pathetic colours. _'You took Light from me. He was supposed to be my Hou Yi, and I his Chang'e.'_

'You disgust me.' Kiyomi said. 'You're nothing, you're weak and pathetic. How dare you think you even deserved to love him. He never loved you. He should have loved me!'

Kiyomi stood and left Misa's dorm quickly, her own wave of tears coming on now. _'I came here to help her and instead I abuse her. I'm terrible.'_ But somehow, Kiyomi didn't have the capacity to feel terrible, she knew she was, but she just couldn't feel it.

…

Near awoke slowly and groggily. _'Where am I? Am I dead? Is this the afterlife.'_ Near immediately discredited that line of thought because he had long since decided that heaven and it's parallel hell, didn't exist. If he was thinking then he was alive, and if he was alive then he didn't know where he was. He realised he could be anywhere, at home, in his dorm, in Mello's dorm, a hotel, or the apartment of the…

The albino shot up quickly, now very much awake, gasping for breath. His lungs ached and his entire body shook. _'When did I become so weak?'_ Near wondered. He thought he had long since managed to move beyond panicked fits, once they had been a problem, they'd kept him awake months after the event, that mans face learning behind his closed eyelids and in idle thoughts, waiting to come back and torment him again.

 _'Say you love me… Say it!'_

Near was certain he had overcome this, that he'd managed to repair himself years ago. He was able to recollect those thoughts without having a fit, without breaking down, but now it seemed that years of repair had been undone. _'It's irrational to fear him. He knows nothing of me, not even my name. He is most likely dead, or better even in prison. I have no reason to fear that… that…'_ Rapist. That was the word Near wanted to think. If he could just think it, not dart around and avoid it, then he knew that all was well. But as much as he tried he couldn't bring that word out, he couldn't finish that sentence.

Near gasped again. When had he become short of breath? His lungs were tight and he gasped for air, his lungs pleading for it. He felt so weak and powerless, years of work undone. _'It's my fault too. If I hadn't been so irresponsible. If I had just considered Mello's feelings this all could have been avoided.'_ Near wanted to blame his mother for it, he wanted to find a rational way to explain it all being her fault, but he couldn't. He knew that he had provoked Mello, and Mello's response had torn down those barriers that he had built.

There was a knock at the door. Near jumped at the sound, his uncontrollable shaking resumed. He feared who was behind that door, that it might be him. The albino knew in his rational mind that the odds against such a thing were astronomical, but his rational mind was struggling to hold control. Near looked that the door. No lock. He wanted to stand and block the door, but what if it was that man and he overpowered him and got it open anyway? He would punish Near, he knew that much, and Near wasn't sure he could live through that happening again. So Near remained fixed to the spot. _'I can't be him, it's too unlikely.'_ He told himself over and over. Rationality had always been his greatest strength in life, he just wished it would be here too. The door creaked open, the shaking intensified, Near held his breath.

It was, of all people, Linda.

Near released all his fear in another, horrific, gasp. He fought back the urge to begin crying, his nerves had been that highly strung. Now he knew where he was, who his saviour was. Somehow, it had been Linda who saved him from freezing to death, and it was her house over the coffer shop he was now in. For the first time Near took in his surroundings. He was in a room furnished with a large victorian sofa, where he now laid, a blanket covering him from the waist down, it must have slid off him when he sat up. He noticed that his chest was bare, Linda it seemed, was smart enough to know that leaving someone in snow soaked clothing was futile if you were trying to save their lives. He was also grateful to realise that she hadn't taken all his clothes, he still had underwear on, he was relived, Near knew that would have made him feel so violated he would have broken down all over again, whether it had been motivated by good will of not. The only other features of the room were an old double bed and a crackling fire, which he was positioned in front of. Out the window Near could see that the snow was still falling quite thickly.

'So you're awake.' Linda said. 'Properly this time?'

'Properly?' Near asked, his throat felt dry and constricted, he had to force each syllable out.

'You've woken up two times before, but you were panicking both times. I was worried you had a fever, but your temperature was fine. So I can only assume that it was something-'

'-Else.' Near finished. 'Please don't enquire.'

Near wanted to groan. Now Linda had seen just how weak he was. He didn't like how powerless he felt, how easily it seemed he could have a break down. Apparently it had happened two times already, and both those occasions had been so bad that he had no memory of them.

'I won't.' Linda said kindly, sitting on the arm of the sofa. 'I have to say, you gave me quite a scare.'

'How so?'

'Well I'm downstairs, making sure everything is locked up because I didn't want snow getting into my shop, and then I hear a massive crash on my door. I go to check what it was, and of all things, it's one of my favourite customers, unconscious, horrifically undressed for the conditions, not to mention in a skirt, looking like they're about to die.'

'I remember that.' Near said.

'Good.' Linda said. 'You're memory is working. It'd be horribly cliche if you had amnesia.'

Silence.

'That was a joke.'

'I know.'

'Not ready to laugh just yet?'

'Thank you for taking me in.' Near said quietly, dogging an answer.

'No problem.' Linda said.

She leant over to pat Near on the shoulder. The moment she made contact he pulled away, as if she had just hit him rather than attempt to comfort him. His expression said it all and Linda quickly retracted her arm. Near could tell she was starting to put the pieces together, he wished she wouldn't.

'I'm sorry.' He said quietly.

'Don't worry about it.' She said.

'How long have I been here?'

'Two and a half days.'

'I see.'

'I won't ask why you were out there in the first place.'

'Thank you.'

Near was grateful. He wasn't prone to shame, anger, or self-loathing, but his recent actions made him feel all of it. Near was the first person to admit he was emotionally obtuse, and right now that meant he was also not ready to start discussing those emotions with someone else, if at all. It wasn't the lowest he'd ever felt, that was revered for a few years before, when he was deepest in his depression. He'd felt flithy, like there was a layer of grime that man had left on him, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get it off. He'd eventually taken to feeling numb, anything to stop that feelings. Near had felt wretched and he hated himself. Those feelings were coming back again, not the numbness or the filth, but the hatred. _'I wonder if Mello still loves me, I wouldn't blame him if he didn't, it would be a perfectly acceptable response.'_

'Theres some clothes on the bed if you want to come downstairs. I'll make you a hot chocolate if you do.' Linda said with a smile.

She went to leave, stopped, and added:

'Whoever punched you must really love you.' She said.

'What?' Near said, immediately touching the spot on his cheek where Mello's fist had hit him.

'Well if I was going to punch you, I'd avoid your nose, teeth, and eyes as well.' Linda said with a smirk.

Those words served to elevate Near, and his spiral of self-deprecation stopped. _'Whoever punched me must love me… maybe.'_ He hoped she was right, because if she was, then he had reason to hope.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Near is alive! Did I scare you with my last author's note? I must confess, part of me really did want to kill him, and I kept that option open. Part of me still wants to tell that story, but I'm going to tell the one where he lives instead, for your sakes, theres been so much sadness in this story that I think you guys deserve the occasional bit of happiness. Also, I promise the next chapter will be more happy, I realise that this one and the last one were pretty grim, but this is pretty much a low as it gets for the characters, it's only uphill from here! Please leave a review with thoughts, support, and critique! Stay tuned!_


	36. Memories: Kiss With A Fist

_A/N: What? I hear you ask, another upload so soon after the last? Yes I say! For this is the last 'Flashback' chapter for_ _the story, focusing this time on Matt. I wrote this chapter incredibly quickly, I've had it planned for quite a while. So enjoy, or rather I hope you appreciate it, the content is not exactly happy (and yes I mean by the standards of this story, not in general, this is pretty dark)_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

Tigger Warning: I just realised that this chapter actually needed this. So a trigger warning for violence/abuse/graphic content, unlike the other darker themes in this story, this is described rather than just alluded to.

* * *

 _Shout._

 _Scream._

 _Crash._

 _Wail._

 _Repeat._

 _Mail sat in his dark room, hiding under his desk, shaking. He hunched over a smaller figure, who shared his red hair and shook twice as hard. Kris. His little brother was probably crying, silent tears, the worst tears. Making noise when you cried meant that you knew someone could here you, help you. But crying silently, when someone else was around, meant that you knew no one could help you. A silent tear was a testament of complete isolation._

 _Shout._

 _Scream._

 _Crash._

 _Wail._

 _Repeat._

 _Mail knew the cycle all too well, it repeated itself over and over, night after night. Sometimes there would be a night where his parents didn't fight, they'd pretend everything was normal. But the pressure, derived from the knowledge that another fight was only just around the corner, was extreme, suffocating._

 _Shout._

 _His father shouting at his mother, pure bile and hatred._

 _Scream._

 _His mother screaming back at his father, a venomous comment no doubt._

 _Crash._

 _His father breaking something, a punch to the wall, a plate thrown, sometimes a blow against Mail's mother._

 _Wail._

 _His mother wailed, sometimes from terror, sometimes from injury._

 _Repeat._

 _Return to 'Shout', find something else to argue about, start turning the wheel again, follow steps as laid out._

 _The door swung open, artificial light invaded Mail and Kris' dark sanctuary, breaking any facade of safety that they believed they had. Mail's mother ran to stop their father. Smack. Crash. Her body hit the floor, she cowered, clutching at her flesh, weeping in pain. Mail watched at his fathers shadow encroached, he was holding a leather belt in hand, he could tell from the silhouette. Mail shifted slightly, his back turned, Kris totally protected by his body. Part of him wanted to run away, flee what came next, but for Kris' sake he couldn't, because if he wasn't there to absorb the abuse then Kris would take his place._

 _Smack._

 _Mail's eyes watered, his back stung, ached, he knew his wounds had started bleeding again. The bruises had only just started to fade, they'd be back again now, a brilliant array of bloody reds, deep purples, and midnight blues. He wanted to reach for his goggles, the first and only gift from his father that he ever coveted, if he wore those then people wouldn't see him cry._

 _Smack._

 _Another 'gift' from his father, his arm this time, he'd have to wear his long sleeved top again, the third time this week. The other children would bully him about it no doubt, but scorn about clothing choices was better then them knowing that his father hit him. Mail's instinct was to draw his arm away, clutch at the spot where the belt had met flesh, but that wasn't an option. If he did then Kris would be exposed, and Mail wouldn't allow that._

 _Instead he remained valiant, his father couldn't hit him forever._

 _…_

 _Mail crept downstairs slowly, the silence sickening. Sometimes this happened, his mother and father would argue until they grew so tired they simply fell asleep. Sometimes their arguments would recede and make way for guttural and animalistic groans, one of them shouting 'yes'. Mail found it disgusting, he knew what they were doing when that happened of course, maybe a ten year old shouldn't know about such things, but nothing else in his life was normal so why should this be different? Kris however didn't know, and Mail was eager to leave it that way, he was only seven after all. On occasions like this Mail would have to go downstairs, cover them up, sometimes to hide the fact they were naked, other times to hide how bloody his mother was, Kris didn't need to see it._

 _'Kris, go back upstairs.' Mail whispered, he'd just noticed his little brother had been following him._

 _Kris slinked back upstairs, but not before giving Mail a hurt look with his emerald green eyes. Mail was often told that he and his brother looked alike, and nothing was more alike than their eyes. Perhaps that was why he protected him, Mail believing that he'd lost his chance to be a child, but maybe he could salvage that in Kris, who was just like him, a second chance for his brother, and in a sense a second chance for himself._

 _The moment Mail decended the last step he knew something was wrong, it was the smell. The air was slightly metallic tasting, it smelt of blood. Mail knew what blood smelt like only too well, god knew he'd been covered in his own often enough, old wounds bled more than new ones, and his wounds rarely got a chance to heal properly, some had been around for months._

 _'Go back upstairs Kris.' He repeated, his brother having snuck back down after him again, Kris obliged, albeit with another glare._

 _Mail rounded the corner, into the kitchen, where the fights happened most of the time._

 _He gasped._

 _Their argument had been loud tonight, louder than any before. The entire kitchen was a wreck, every single plate smashed, cupboards missing doors, craters all over the wall. But all this paled in comparison to the blood. Everything was covered in blood. Some of it was thin, smeared over a surface by a blood-covered hand. Some was thick like paint and a deep maroon, direct blood, straight from a deep wound. Mail had only bled like that on two occasions, both times his father had cut him, once on the arms, once the chest, both times required stitches._

 _And in the centre of the wreckage of the kitchen his parents. He didn't need to check to know they were dead. His father had the largest kitchen knife sticking out of his back, no doubt where his mother had stabbed him. His shirt was stained with blood, it was still growing slightly, blooming like a sick flower of death. His father wouldn't have lived for long, that stab wound was only a centimetre away from his heart, but apparently he'd been alive long enough to take his wife with him. Mail could barely recognise his mothers face, it conceived inwards, crushed from string of kicks and stomps._

 _Mail threw up and then sobbed, he shook and gasped, threw up again._

 _Mail looked up, Kris was standing there, he had snuck back downstairs again. Mail knew that any innocence he had left was shattered, gone, stolen, beaten to death along with his parents. He had gone a deathly hue of white, begun to cry, no wail. Mail took him and hugged him, trying to hold together the boy, but he knew that his brother was crumbling before him soon there would be nothing but a husk and dust, shattered remains. There was nothing he could do, he just clutched tightly, wishing that the futile action could someone hold the boy together, knowing that it would not._

 _…_

 _'You can't split us up.' Mail screamed 'You can't, you can't split us up.'_

 _The foster housing man didn't seem to understand, he just smiled meekly. Mail repeated himself, over and over, knowing he sounded like a bratty child having a tantrum, but he wasn't going to give in. The man didn't understand, he was all Kris had, and Kris was all he had. He couldn't split them up, they'd rather be homeless than apart. He told the man this._

 _'I'm afraid that's not permissible.' He said._

 _'Then put us in a house together.' Mail said._

 _'I can't.' The man said, feigning apologetics. 'There are none available.'_

 _'You can't split us up.' Mail shouted again. 'You can't.'_

 _Kris sat on a chair quietly, he didn't speak ever anymore, Mail was his voice, if he needed something he would just tug at Mails shirt and point. Sometimes people tried to speak to him, but he wouldn't say anything. Psychiatrists had tried to help him but Mail knew that this was beyond help, he was broken, he'd seen something no child should have to see, all Mail could do was hold onto the pieces he had left, be there for his brother._

 _'You can't.' Matt whispered. 'You can't.'_

 _'I'm sorry.'_

 _'You can't…'_

 _…_

 _'I'm sorry, but we still haven't found anything.'_

 _Day twenty-one._

 _Three weeks since Kris had apparently had a fit and run away from his foster home. Mail still held onto the hope that his brother might be alive and well, even though he knew that between the snow, the wind, and harsh and selfish city that his brother was all but certainly dead._

 _'I understand.' Mail said._

 _He understood. He understood he should have fought harder to keep them together. He understood that he should never have given up and let them seperate himself and Kris. He understood that his brothers death was on him. He understood._

 _'I'm sorry.' The man said_

 _Sorry didn't do a lot of good, but with Kris gone it was all Mail had anymore._

 _Mail felt so alone._

 _…_

 _'Matt Jeevas?' A man asked._

 _Mail, now re-christened Matt, nodded and smiled. He'd learnt during the last two years that it was easier to smile and pretend that everything was alright than admit that everything was wrong. Pretending, Matt was good at that these days. He pretended about so many things that they had become his reality. He'd entered his name to this school as Matt, his parents had died in a car accident, he never had a brother. Every fact besides he birthday had been changed, harder for people to find out who you really were. 'Mail' had been missing so long that he was presumed dead, the last of the 'Jackson's'. So now 'Mail' was Matt and 'Jackson' was 'Jeevas', when Mail had died Matt had appeared out of nowhere and nobody appeared to care, just another orphan who'd slipped between the cracks._

 _Matt, like Mail, was wicked smart, easily smart enough to make it in on scholarship program at 'Coleson Grammar Middle School.' In two years he planned to apply for Wammy's, listed in the top ten most prestigious boarding school world-wide._

 _'Yes.' Matt said. 'That's me.'_

 _'Meet Mihael. He's going to show you around the campus.'_

 _A strange looking Blonde, dressed entirely in leather and bearing a large scar across his face stepped in front of Matt. He was odd, he looked kind of like a male prostitute, which Matt felt slightly dirty thinking about considering he was only twelve, much like himself. The blonde took a bite out of a whole block of chocolate, he didn't extend his hand._

 _'You look sad.' Mihael finally said._

 _'But I'm smiling.'_

 _'It's in your eyes. You've lost someone close.'_

 _'How do you know?'_

 _'I get that same look in the mirror.'_

 _Matt's heart beat slightly faster, someone like him?_

 _'You're going to be my friend.'_

 _'I am?'_

 _'Yes you fucker, now shut it and stop asking stupid fucking questions.'_

 _'Fine but I'm going to call you Mello.' Matt said._

 _'Why the fuck would you do that?'_

 _'Cause you need to Mellow out.'_

 _The blonde laughed a harsh and derisive laugh._

 _'Whatever, come on, I'm meant to show you around or something.'_

 _'Ok. Hey whose that? She hot.'_

 _'Oh her, she's called Neo or something. I don't like her, she's weird and shit, so don't you fucking dare think about becoming friends with her.'_

 _'If you say so.'_

 _'I fucking do shithead, come on, I'll show you the rest of the school.'_

 _Mello led, Matt followed. He smiled, it was quite and genuine, not like the fake ones he'd learnt to give so well. Part of him knew he wouldn't need the fake smile anymore, this blonde was strange certainly, but his claim that they were going to be friends seemed somehow genuine, certain even. He knew that for whatever reason the blonde had decided he liked Matt and he was going to have him hang around, the blonde needed Matt. And Matt needed him._

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well as far as dark goes it doesn't get much more real than that, aside from war and genocide I guess, but the chances that those were going to appear in this fic were pretty unlikely. So yes, backstory on Matt, I figured with this flashback being so dark that it would need some kind of happy moment at the end, and by happy i mean happier, nothing was really very happy here. Anyway, please leave a review with feedback I guess. (I know i said last chapter that everything was going to be happier from here on, but I forgot about this so... everything from THIS point on gets better. Promise. I swear. 110% truth.)_

Note: I apologise if this comes across as quite intense, it's just a moment of self indulgence about something I consider incredibly important, a thing that's needs to change in our society.

Domestic Violence is something that I'm actually really passionate about, I've never personally been in that environment, but Ive had friends in that situation and the effects it has on people are horrific. I wrote a piece on it for my Senior Major work in Extension English (that's a school topic here in Australia) and did a lot of research on it. As a result I've become quite educated on the topic, and very opinionated. Domestic violence occurs in 1 in every 4 household at some point here in Australia, and it's honestly disgusting. No one, especially no child should have to live with that, and the fact that western culture has become almost desensitised is horrific. There's not a lot I can do about it, but I have a group of readers so I can at least tell you. There's charities or course, but the actual best thing that we can do is be aware, people in these situations believe that they can't be helped and are alone, so if you ever find someone you know in that situation being supportive is the best thing you can do. It's no a lot but it is something I guess, and the small steps we can take are better than no steps at all. I'd also recommend looking up 'Rosie Batty' if you're no from Australia, she was Australian of the year here and has been a big advocate about the issue. If you sat through all that then thank you, I know it was quite a rant, but as I said, it's a topic I hold close.


	37. Chapter 32: Paint Me a Picture

_A/N: Another fast update? Indeedly, it is. There''s only a few chapter left in this story, three at the most, and I'm kinda keen to get to the end as I have some nice stuff planned, so my motivation to update has increased! Enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

Time seemed to stop a BB's. No, actually, stop wasn't the right word, whilst at BB's Near didn't become obtuse to the world passing around him, he became hyperaware. He saw every shift in the shadows that corresponded with a slight movement of the sun, he would see the first star blink into life, and the last one gasp it's final breath of the night. He didn't sleep much, Near had been through insomnia before and knew that attempting to fight it was a battle not worth having. If he did try to sleep he'd have cruel memories whispering in his ears and phantom hands would crawl along his legs. Then he would find himself out of breath, sweating, gasping shotgun blasts as his lungs begged for air. So instead he remained awake, and time, didn't stop, but rather span onwards. The day was a wheel and reach rotation was the same, a constant trance of observation without purpose.

Near began to adapt to the lifestyle at BB's. Linda offered to call the school but he refused, she didn't ask questions, he liked that, she accepted that for whatever reason he needed a pocket of solitude to call his own and she would provide it. She didn't expect anything of him, many hours would pass where neither said a word, their silence spoke for them. Near searched within himself, trying to find the will to return to Mello, the belief that he and the blonde might still find happiness. Linda listened, watched, waited, observing Near like an owl. Near helped out as much as he could, cleaning cups and dishes during the day, watching them come in get cleaned and go back out, just for them to come in again.

The days were cycles, a wheel spinning over, just like his self-appointed job, just like his relationship with people, just like with Mello. Near still had feelings for the blonde, but that knowledge, that one again they'd driven each other away, that they'd hurt each other for the umpteenth time, stopped him from running back to him. The albino was aware that Mello and his mother had taken to searching for him, they would come in every afternoon and ask Linda if they had seen him. Each time she would lie, say no, offer a hot drink, let them stay. Near would slink upstairs and wait for them to leave. Near wondered if he and Mello were destined to fight and be driven apart, again and again. Mello had promised to chase him no matter what, but Near began to wonder if the better thing was to stop the race together. _'Perhaps… in the long run we would be better off seperate.'_ It seems logical.

On the fourth day since the snow melted Near found himself in the spare room. He sat on the windowsill, much like he had seen Mello do in his dorm back at Wammy's, watching people walk up and down the street, leaving tracks in their wake. He knew that soon Mello, his mother, and perhaps the others would be marching down those same streets looking for him, he felt guilty that they still hunted for him, each day losing hope that he was out there when he was right here. His eyes began to grow heavy, his lack of sleep catching up, his senses grew groggy and dull. He began drifting in and out of a sleep, on the cusp between the world of dreams and reality.

His eyes fell shut, just for a moment, before he jerked himself awake. It had been there again, that voice, _'say you love me.'_ It wasn't cruel or wicked, it was laced with the desperation of a man who had no one else to turn to. That made it worse, because Near knew that he had been the last choice of a man who was desolate and alone, the last scraps chosen by the hungriest of vultures. Had he been worth so little? Only the most alone and disgusting would choose him?

Near looked around, hoping no one had seen him. Someone had. Linda was seated in the room with a paintbrush in hand, glancing between him and the canvas balanced on an old wooden easel. She didn't seem to care that he had woken in a panic and continued her painting. Near guessed that she was painting him, he wondered why.

'May I keep painting you?' She asked politely.

Near didn't say anything, instead he returned his gaze out the window and over the small township. He judged by the sunlight that Mello would be out looking for him soon, he'd have to move so the blonde wouldn't see him. So Near elected to grant Linda a few more minutes with him, he owed her that much.

'I'll take that as a yes.' She said.

'Why were painting me while I was sleeping?' Near naked quietly, his voice barely audible.

'I like to paint people while they're asleep, it makes their faces more honest.'

'What do you see in me?'

'You always walked when the other children ran.' Linda said.

Near puzzled over this answer. _'What is that supposed to mean?'_ Finally he said:

'Explain.'

'When I look at you I see an old man in the body of a child. You're boy who grew up too quickly, your mind is old but your heart is young and the two don't dwell well together. You think things that you don't understand because you haven't lived long enough to understand their meaning. You see things the other people your age don't, the virtue of silence, the need for rationality in an irrational world. But it works both ways, you never learnt to feel because you learnt to think to quickly. When the other children ran you would walk, because you knew that the destination didn't matter enough to justify speed.

'I see.'

Pause. A moment filled only with the occasional sound of paint brush over canvas.

'Can I ask you a question?'

'That is your prerogative.'

'Do you think I'm right?'

'I know you are.' Near said.

'Why?'

'Because I have lived it.'

Another moment. Near could feel Linda staring at him, hers eyes wondering over him. He wondered what else she saw, how much did she know? Near refrained from squirming, the knowledge that someone was watching him so ravenously made him uncomfortable. It was like that man, he'd watched Near, consuming every moment selfishly. _'He's not here. She's not him. I don't have to be afraid.'_

'Why were you wearing girls clothing, the night I found you I mean.'

Near considered this, he still felt the urge to run from the room, to hide from eyes that stared. The answer seemed simple, because he enjoyed it. That was the truth in a sense, but it was too simple, the answer was more complex.

'It makes me feel free.' Near said, fighting every urge to run.

'Independent?'

'Correct.'

'Hmm.'

Linda seemed fine to it at that. The silence left space for the sounds of brush on canvas, it was a slight, almost undetectable sound, silk rubbed on silk. The urge for Near to run was strong, almost unbearable now. he felt vulnerable, exposed. He knew that Linda was seeing things that he himself didn't want her to see, his defences and armour were being stripped from him. _'She's not going to hurt me. She's not.'_ Near told himself over and over. He was determined to beat this, to come out stronger, fear was not going to be his burden. Not this time.

'How do you feel about Mello?' Linda asked.

'I loved him.'

'Loved?'

Near hadn't even realised what he had said. _'Loved? Have I given in, accepted that what I did has made our relationship irretrievable.'_ Near thought about it, his mind weighed up thoughts and possibilities, assessing every aspect he knew how to assess. _'No. It's not over. Not yet, I still love him.'_

'Love. I love him.' Near said firmly.

'Does he make you angry sometimes?'

'Yes.'

'Do you like your mother?'

'I do not know how to like her.'

'Why?'

'She did something I am unable to forgive.'

'Unable or unwilling?'

'Both.'

'Do you think she loves you?'

'I can't tell.'

'Do you make her angry?'

'Yes.'

Near waited for the next question but it never came. _'Does Linda know everything she wants to know? What has she already deduced, those questions were not a full enquiry, what does she see that I do not?'_ Near began to wish she would enquire further, he hadn't realised how much the questions distracted him. The feeling, the urge, the run or cower or scream or cry came back. _'She's not going to hurt me, she not going to hurt me, she not going to hurt me.'_

'I'm done. Come and look at it.'

Near fought the urge to gasp as he stood. If he did then he would have given into the fear at the last moment, and admission that it had controlled him. Instead he used all his energy to calmly stand and go look at the painting.

It was beautiful.

Linda was an exquisite artist, her work was easily good enough to be displayed in a gallery. Near marvelled at how quickly she had painted this, he couldn't have been asleep for more than a few hours, but she had managed to speedily create a masterpiece.

Near saw himself, one leg up, sleeping on the windowsill. Light spilled in through the window, Near noted how she had capture the translucent quality of the curtains perfectly. Everything surrounding Near was a picture of realism, every scratch and imperfection captured perfectly, the white sunlight of winter recreated so well that Near found himself squinting slightly when he looked at it.

And at the centre of this was Near.

The albino had been painted in blacks and greys, a shadow, a wraith, resting on the windowsill. Near noticed that she had painted him without clothes, guessing what he might have looked like, his skin envisioned like black marble. Near looked at the boy in the painting, he looked calmer than Near himself felt, the vulnerability was still there but this boy wasn't afraid of it, maybe he was even a little bit proud. Near saw sadness and hope in his features, he wondered what it meant, whether Linda had seen it and put it there purposefully or if it was just the end result. And sitting in the centre of the shadows Near's chest was a ball of colour. It couldn't have been more than two centimetres wide but somehow Linda had managed to plant the full spectrum there like a multicoloured flower blooming where his heart was.

'Thank you.' Linda said finally.

'For what?' Near asked.

'For showing me this.'

'I didn't know it was there.'

…

Mello blinked quickly.

 _'No, I was just imagining it.'_ Mello rubbed his temples and groaned, thinking that his exhaustion must be getting bad. He thought he had just seen Near, perched in the window of Linda's house looking angelic and calm, staring down at the street. Then he had blinked and Near was gone, leaving only a flutter of curtains where he hadn't been. _'It was just my mind playing tricks.'_ Mello thought, that's all it could have been.

The past few days had been a daze. Mello had spent every afternoon out looking for Near, he knew that the albino wasn't dead, no body had been found and the police had mounted a proper search. So every day he would sit through school in a distracted daze, the words of the teachers washed over him like water on stone, waiting to be dismissed from the last class of the day so he could continue the search. He wasn't the only one searching, Neo, Matt, L, Light, even Misa helped. Each had a reason that was their own.

For Matt it was because of ghosts, one in particular. Kris. Mello knew how Matt saw Near, a little brother. He was impressed with how Matt didn't let this control him, but rather drove him. Even when he was tired he would step out into the cold and continue to look. L and Light however seemed to be driven to look because it offered escape. Everyone on campus knew what had happened, how Light had cheated on Misa, how L had stolen the brunette away. There were many perspectives, none were good, searching offered them an escape. Mello suspected that Misa looked for the same reasons. Everyone was quick to console her, boys once more lining up to talk to her. She the topic of every discussion, her sadness was treated like an object, everyone was on her side but nobody stood with her. And then there was Neo. She searched because everyone else did, that was all there was to it, she was carried along like driftwood.

 _'But for me I search because I'm sick. This is a fever that I can't sweat out. The cure is Near and I need him now.'_ Mello couldn't even bring himself to be angry at the albino, he knew how Near reacted to verbal abuse, he'd run away in the face of it before. So how could he have expected the albino to handle physical abuse any better? Mello couldn't believe what he had done. _'Near doesn't deserve me, he deserves much much better.'_ Mello didn't expect the albino to take him back, part of him didn't want him to, he didn't want Near to have to stoop, all Mello wanted was just a chance to say sorry.

Mello looked down the street, Mrs River was there wrapped up in her large fur coat, looking for Near just as she was, all alone. _'Near doesn't even realise how lucky he_ is.' Mello would have given everything up just to have one more day to spend with his mother, just one more chance to make her smile. He, and Neo and Matt too, they envied Near, they would never say but they did. Sure the relationship between Near and his mother was bad, _'but at least he has a mother.'_

Mello sighed and continued searching.

…

L and Light sat on their couch, hands intertwined, both silent.

They had been the talk of the school all week, every time they walked into a room people would glance in a manner that they thought was subtle but was in actual fact as conspicuous as a joke that failed to land, that same uncomfortable atmosphere of nobody laughing accompanying L and Light no matter where they were on campus. The first day back to class they had walked with heads held high, holding each others hands, deflecting every sniping comment made as they walked to class. And then, slowly, their pride began to fade. Their heads would hang lower, their grip would loosen, jabbing comments would find their target, and before they knew it they rushed between classes, ashamed to display their relationship.

 _'When did this happen?'_ Light wondered. _'When did we start to care what they thought?'_ He looked at L, he seemed more hollow than before, there was a space where his happiness had once sat. There was nothing there now, it had yet to be filled with shame like it had for Light, he just wasn't happy anymore.

'They hate us, don't they?' L asked.

Light didn't want to answer. They both knew what the answer was, but if they said it then somehow that would make it true. _'They do hate us.'_ Light thought. _'Our "peers", they despise us.'_ Adeline, Sophie, Dan and Derek, Becky and Jessica, even Roger, had never stopped giving them angry looks. Where support and friendship had once been there was nothing. Light had hoped that somebody might say something, fight for them, but nobody did, they all hated them. Mello, Matt, Neo, probably Near, Miss Naomi (she had always possessed a soft spot for Light) and of all people Misa, did not attack them. A cancer unanimous disgust had spread through everyone else at the school, it had even stolen friends, Kiyomi having succumbed, never speaking to them anymore.

'They don't hate us.' Light said. 'They hate what we represent.'

'What?' L asked.

'The ability to love without their approval.'

'I think that's worse.' L said.

'Why?'

'Because it means that they were given that right in the first place.'

L was right. That was the simple truth, everyone indulged themselves on the belief that their opinion mattered and so it slowly had come to do so. _'Why does it matter? Who cares who I love? Who L loves?'_ The fact that Near and Mello had been able to be open about their relationship just proved that 'being gay' had nothing to do with the issue. _'They believe that we should be ashamed and so we have become ashamed. Who gave them that right?'_ Light was determined to prove them wrong, that the didn't matter, that what they said or believed didn't matter, not even a bit.

'I love you.' He said.

'I love you too.'

…

Neo and Matt were at BB's, not in the usual circle of sofas, but rather at a table for two, on their first offical date. Matt had been conflicted with himself about going on the date when Near was still missing, he felt that he owed it to himself and to Kris not to rest until their missing person was found. But his reflection also informed him that he owed himself a rest, the dark bags under his eyes and greasy hair showing just how much the whole situation had taken it's tole.

So now they were here, at BB's, beverages in hand, an array of 'complementary cakes' before them. Linda had insisted, despite their objections, on giving them the cakes, she claimed that she had been "waiting for this day for quite some time". Matt wondered how Linda actually managed to make a profit considering the amount of discounts and free drinks she had given them and the others. But those questions didn't linger for long because he was far more interested in the girl across the table from him.

'Ok.' Neo said, laughing at Matt's last joke. 'I saw this last night and just had to show you, it's literally the worst fan fiction ever.'

'You read fan fiction?' Matt asked with a laugh.

'No, I have a tumblr, that's how I found it.'

'That's not a lot better.' Matt commented. 'Whats it called?'

'Welcome to my Twisted Mind.' Neo deadpanned.

'Really?' Matt asked.

'No.' Neo said, rolling her eyes. 'It's called defiantly indifferent, my url is "mildly-bored".'

'Ok.' Matt said shrugging.

Neo's eyes narrowed upon the utterance of the monosyllabic word, she'd been expecting an insult or a derisive comment. She worried that Matt was trying not to upset her because they were on a so called 'date'. _'If he tries to treat my special I'll remove his tonsils and implant them up his ass.'_

'Just, 'ok'?' She asked. 'Nothing else.'

'Well.' Matt shrugged. 'I mean tumblr? Isn't it a bit lowbrow for you?"

'Shut up.'

'Well it is.'

'We all have our vices.' Neo said defensively.

'I thought yours was budding alcoholism.'

'Do you want me to read this out or not?'

'Ok, ok, read it out.'

Neo huffed loudly and made a great ordeal of getting her phone out of her jacket pocket. Neither she nor Matt had made any real attempt to dress up for the date, they'd both seen each other at their absolute worst that they really didn't see the point, although, Matt had at least made the effort to wash his shirt before wearing it on the date.

'So I'm just gonna read the first paragraph, ready?' Neo said her phone out.

Matt nodded.

'Hi my name is Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way and I have long ebony black hair (that's how I got my name) with purple streaks and red tips that reaches my mid-back and icy blue eyes like limpid tears and a lot of people tell me I look like Amy Lee (AN: if u don't know who she is get da hell out of here!). I'm not related to Gerard Way but I wish I was because he's a major fucking hottie. I'm a vampire but my teeth are straight and white. I have pale white skin. I'm also a witch, and I go to a magic school called Hogwarts in England where I'm in the seventh year (I'm seventeen). I'm a goth (in case you couldn't tell) and I wear mostly black. I love Hot Topic and I buy all my clothes from there. For example today I was wearing a black corset with matching lace around it and a black leather miniskirt, pink fishnets and black combat boots. I was wearing black lipstick, white foundation, black eyeliner and red eye shadow. I was walking outside Hogwarts. It was snowing and raining so there was no sun, which I was very happy about. A lot of preps stared at me. I put up my middle finger at them.'

Neo finished and raised an eyebrow, waiting for Matt's thoughts.

'She sounds like you.'

'Go screw yourself.'

'Couldn't you do it for me?' Matt asked batting his eyelashes.

'Sure.' Neo said. 'I'll screw a screw through your eyeball.'

'On second thought I pass.' Matt said

'Pity.'

The laughed loudly, neither of them found the joke extraordinarily funny, but they were enjoying themselves to much. But as their laughter subsided Matt found himself feeling guilty. _'Near's missing and here I am laughing at bad jokes, how selfish am I?'_ It was like Kris all over again, he didn't do enough then to fight for his little brother and here he was repeating old mistakes, only this time instead of sitting helplessly waiting he was all out ignoring him.

'You ok?' Neo asked.

'Sorry?'

'Apology accepted.'

'What?'

'You look worried about something.'

'Near.'

'What a surprise.' Neo said dryly.

'Neo he could be anywhere, he could be dead.'

'He's fine.'

'But how do you-'

'I do. I'm magic.'

'Neo.'

'Are you questioning me?' She asked, glaring imperiously.

Matt gulped and shook his head, Neo was a force of nature that he didn't want to cross. She sighed, exasperated, probably at Matt. _'I wouldn't blame her, I'm not exactly a paragon of mental fortitude at the moment, not that she is either, she just makes more of an effort to hide it.'_ But Matt just couldn't shake the feeling that he was betraying Kris, he'd tried so hard to protect and failed, so he tried to make up for it with Near, and failed all over again.

'There's something else.' Neo said.

Matt nodded, clutching tightly at his coffee.

'What?'

'When- when I pushed Mello up against the wall to stop him from hitting Near, it was just like how my, my…'

'Dad used to do to your mum?'

Matt nodded.

'You're not you dad.' Neo said. 'You're a good person.'

'But what if I'm going to end up like him?'

'You're not.'

'How do you know?'

'I just do Matt.'

'That's what you always say.'

'Because I'm always right.'

'How can you be so certain?'

'How can you not?' Neo said. 'We don't have anything else Matt. It's just us, no family, no nothing, just the belief that what we're doing, where we're going is right.'

 _'But I was like my father, just for a moment, how can that be right?'_ Matt thought. He squeezed tightly at his coffee up, like he was trying to crush it. _'I let Near run away, just like Kris, and now I'm not even looking for him, how can that be right? What if I don't want Near back, what if it's because I miss having Mello, my friend. Near took him but now Near's gone and I have Mello back if I want him. What if that's why I'm here rather than out there? How can that be right by Mello, by Near, by you? Can it be right?'_

'You are not your father.' Neo repeated, slowly reaching out to take Matt's hand.

'Damn it Neo.' Matt shouted, as he did he slammed his hand down onto the table, the coffee cup shattering with a loud 'smash'.

Memories reverberated around in Matt's mind. Smash. The sound of his parents fighting, tearing apart the family from within. Smash. The sound that dominated the last evening his parents had been alive. Smash. The belief that their family could ever be normal. Smash. The illusion that he could protect Kris, that he could protect anyone. Smash. The belief that he was a good person.

'Matt…' Neo said, pulling back quickly.

Matt stood quickly, extracting money from his pocket and throwing it onto the table. It landed in the puddle of still steaming coffee and began to go brown. Matt didn't notice, he was already making his way toward the door, weaving between tables.

'I'm sorry Neo.' Matt said. 'This was a mistake.'

'Matt!' Neo called desperately.

'I'm sorry.' Matt said. 'I'm sorry. I should be alone.'

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

 _A/N: Well things happened? What will Near and Mello do next? What will become of Neo and Matt? How will the social pressure affect Light and L? Many answers await. I have to say I'm not sure I'm overly happy with this chapter, but it was necessary to transition into the final chapters, it wound up being an odd update at any rate. I have way to much fun writing the Neo and Matt dialogue, and this chapter is no different (also bonus points to anyone who picked up that Neo was reading from the classic 'So-Bad-It's-Good Fanfic, 'My Immortal') As I said at the start of this chapter this story is almost finished! I know, how time has flown! Please leave a review if you liked the chapter, all feedback is welcome! And stay tuned for this stories stunning conclusion!_


	38. Chapter 33: Step and Go

_A/N: Another quick update? Unlike the last chapter which was a bit of a struggle, this one actually came quite easily, so I hope you enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: Own Death Note, I do not._

* * *

Mello, Matt, and Neo exchanged looks, they weren't certain if this was going to work, Mello had gone out on a limb with this plan. The blonde checked his watch, 4:29, she should be here in a minute, if she was going to come at all. He looked back up at his two associates, Matt had told him exactly how the date had gone two days previously, both still seemed fairly uncomfortable around each other, pretending to be interested in coffee cups or the interior decor of BB's, looking at anything but each other.

Mello felt sorry for them, Neo in particular. This had been the first time she had really reached out to anybody in his entire association with her and it had gone so badly. She'd returned an hour after Matt looking downtrodden, as if she had just been punched by a thousands fists that left no bruise. The next day it had been apparent that Neo had been drinking, heavily, her actions was sluggish and mistimed, she groaned of a hangover all day. She'd always been one to drink for pleasure, never out of hurt. Matt had been, if anything, worse. He'd returned to the dorm and played video games for eight hours, using the flickering and colourful game to hide away from his problems. When Mello finally mounted enough courage to ask what was wrong Matt had simply burst into tears. 'I'm just like him.' Matt said over and over. Mello assumed that 'him' was Matt's father. He wished there was something he could do for his friends, but he found nothing. _'They're always there to help me, but I'm useless when they need it, some friend.'_ They were going to have to sort it out on their own.

He imagined that they would, eventually, neither of them were exactly the type to let this sort of disparity stand. But for now they were leaving the issue alone and leaving long awkward silences in it's place. But Mello was grateful that they had united for this, neither seems very convinced when he explained his plan, no, plan made it seem like there was steps or organisation, this was a concept. But they had agreed, for his sake, for the sake of Near. Mello was grateful that they'd put their drama on hold for him, for his not-even-close-to-a-plan.

He looked down at his watch again, 4:30, every second that past was a second that she was late and a second less likely that she would show up at all. Mello reached into his pocket and pulled out his last chocolate bar, he knew it was rude to eat your own food at a dining establishment, but Linda wouldn't mind, she made so much money off them anyway. Linda came round with their drinks, hot chocolate for Mello, Flat White for Matt, and a quadruple shot black coffee with no sugar for Neo. The mousy haired owner raised an eyebrow as she placed them on the table.

'She here yet?'

Mello shook his head.

'I'm sure she will be.' Linda said.

'I wish I shared your fucking optimism.' Mello replied.

'Don't worry.' Neo interjected. 'I left her a text saying I would skin her if she didn't turn up.'

'Fuck Neo.' Mello exclaimed.

'What?'

'That's more likely to get us arrested than to get her here.'

'Well sorry.' Neo said insincerely.

Mello rolled his eyes, for what must have been the millionth time in his life he found himself in total disbelief of Neo's antics. However for the first time he found something else to be disbelieving of, the fact that his best friend had somehow managed to find himself attracted to her. And not only that but the date had ended badly not because of something Neo did but rather what Matt did. _'Everything is fucking backwards.'_ Mello checked his watch again, 4:32, _'I'll give her until 4:40.'_

Mello sipped at his hot chocolate, it tasted like Near, an seemingly overpowering taste that gave way to a multitude of smaller and more complex tastes all of which accumulated to create a something irresistible. That, in Mello's mind, really was how he thought of Near. His first thoughts of the albino had been that he was just a weird emotionless kid genius, and certainly, on the surface that was who he was. _'But he's more than that, he's got heart, and feelings that he'll hide from the world, but bloom like a rare flower when he wants to share it. He's so certain about everything and nothing, he's a mass of paradoxes and contradictions, all housed behind those stormy grey eyes.'_

And then Mello remembered that he and Near might be through, done, finished, over. It had been he who had hit the albino, abused him, physically and verbally, it was Near's right to leave him, Mello knew that and accepted it. Despite all this he felt in many ways closer to Near than ever before, the albino had been missing for eight days but it was as if he was sitting right there in front of him, one leg pulled against his chest, his face all serious and his clockwork mind working overtime. It felt like Near was right there with him, in the building perhaps (although Linda had said he wasn't so that was out as a possibility) or back at Wammy's, waiting, even thought they were probably done for good. _'But even so maybe I can do one last thing right by him.'_

Mello looked down at his watch again, 4:40. _'I guess she's not coming, I suppose we should-'_

'Hello.' A curt voice said.

Mello looked up. She was here. Mrs River. She had arrived, ready to maybe hear what they had to say. Her face was a portrait of impatience, she hadn't even taken off her large fur coat, ready to leave at any moment.

'You're here.' Mello said dumbly.

'Yes. Now you can explain why you called me here.'

…

Light walked down to the duck pond alone, L hadn't felt like coming. Suffice to say, Light was worried, L seemed to be sinking into quickly into a deep oozing mire that went by the name of depression. Light could feel things coming undone, grains of sand slipping through his fingers. The honeymoon period of their relationship was gone and in it's place was only scorn and hatred. The school seems content to throw every kind of insult at them, and every sentence, every word, every syllable, chipped away at them slowly. Light hated seeing L this way, he'd always been chipper in his own way, optimistic in a rational way, kind because he was steadfast and constant, but that was slipping.

Light sighed, rubbing his hands together, he wished he'd worn a thicker jacket. The snow crunched beneath his feet, he could see the duck pond, iced over like frosted glass. Beyond was the woods where they had celebrated Near's thirteenth birthday, before Misa, before L, before things had been good with Misa, then better with L, then bad all through. Those woods that had once been an array of golds, amber, and honey were now all skeletons and ash.

At the duck pond was, of all people, Misa, sitting alone. She wore a large black coat and was sat on the old bench, where Light had first insinuated that it might be worth her time asking him out. _'It wasn't quite, was it?'_ Where was her gaggle of female friends who had been so quick to rush to her aid and demonise Light and L? Gone, all rushed off to find new ways to feel important for the time being, leaving Misa as alone as she felt.

'Hey.' She said turning to face Light.

Light hesitated, unsure whether it was ok for him to approach and talk to her. She smiled a sad smile, even now Light thought she was beautiful.

'It's ok.' She said. 'I won't start crying. Sit.'

Light complied and sat next to her, the bench was cold and something Kiyomi had once said about haemorrhoids left to mind, something about the cold seats being bad for you. _'Charming line of thought there Light, charming.'_

'I hoped you turn up.' Miss said. 'I didn't know you would, I just thought you might, and, well here I am, waiting.'

'Why?'

'I wanted to talk to you.'

'About what?' Light asked.

He asked the question more out of habit then any need to enquire, he was almost certain what this was going to be about, and quite frankly didn't know if he wanted to defend himself again. All he'd done for a week and a half was defend himself, defend L, defend their relationship, against people who hated them because it was the zeitgeist to do so.

'Actually I wanted to ask you a question.' Miss said, correcting herself.

'What?' Light asked.

'I'm a Camellia blossom.' Misa said. 'That's how I always thought of myself, pretty to loom at, but no scent, no substance. Sure I'm pretty and good at performing but there's nothing more than that. That's why I wanted to date you, because your all substance, your more scented than a bushel of roses in the middle of spring. I thought that if I dated you then maybe I'd amount to something more that a Camellia, that you'd give me scent. Then we dated and you gave me scent, then broke it off for someone who has so much more scent than me and I thought you'd traded me out for someone better, more likeable.'

'Misa…'

'I just wanted to ask, did you ever love me?

Light paused. He'd considered this, his answer, he did. He had once loved Misa very deeply with all his heart. But then there was L, and he saw something in him that Misa did not have, nothing quantifiable, no single quality, but rather an aura, a power and silent passion that enticed.

'I did. I loved you deeply.'

Misa smiled a quiet and sad smile, the same smile of someone thinking of a relative that they loved who had passed. That answer both hurt and touched her.

'And do you love L?'

'Yes.' Light answered simply, for no amount of words could describe it.

'He's a lucky guy.' Miss said.

'We both are.' Light said. 'To have each other.'

'I want you to know that despite how much it hurt, I never wished any of it on you. You're both good people, good people do stupid and bad things, but that doesn't mean that they stopped being good. You and L certainly never did and you don't deserve what has happened.'

'You deserved better than me.' Light said.

'Maybe.' Miss said. 'We fall for people we think we deserve, no the people we actually do. At least not at first. You have L now, and you really do deserve him, and he you, maybe I'll find that too one day.'

'I know you will.'

They fell silent again and stared out over the lake. _'Would this all have been easier had I chosen to talk to her first, would we still be together instead of me with L? Probably.'_ Maybe it would have been easier, but even now, after all the hate and hurt he wouldn't have traded it. Maybe for l's sake alone he would have, but for his he never could.

'I used to think myself a Camellia.' Miss said. 'But I see now that I'm not, I do have scent and I'm going to prove it now. Light, I forgive you. Now take L, ignore everyone who says you shouldn't and go, leave if you must, and find happiness.'

'Misa Amane, you were never a Camellia. You're brilliant and beautiful.'

'I see that now.'

'Thank you.'

'Go.' She said, smiling kindly.

Light didn't have to be told twice he stood and made for his dorm, for L. He had an idea, of where they could go, just for a day, just for today, away from everyone who hated them and what they represented. Miss watched him go. She began to cry, not sad tears, but truly joyful tears. They rolled down her cheeks and glistened like the ice over the lake.

'Not a Camellia.' She whispered in between tears. 'Misa.'

…

'Light, where are we going?' L asked.

The brunette was pulling him by the elbow at a breakneck speed across the snow covered grounds of Wammy's toward the car park. L was beginning to struggle for breath, he was not fit in any sense of the world, quite unlike Light, who had been the middle-school National Tennis champion back in Japan. Snow crunched beneath their feet as they ran, their hot breaths emitted little puffs of steam, Light seemed content to ignore L's question.

'Light.' L said again. 'Where are we going?'

'To my car.' Light replied.

'Why?'

Light stopped, grabbed L by the shoulders and stared him down. There was something unquantifiable in his expression, a passion, a spark fanned into a flame, a hope and happiness that hadn't been there for a long time. All L knew was that Light had stepped out of their room for half an hour, and then had returned in a frenzied rush, thrown a few things into a backpack, and then pulled L out of the room without a single word of explanation.

'Because I talked to Misa.'

'Misa?'

'Yes, and she forgave us.'

'I dont-'

'She forgave us L.' Light said excitedly. 'What we're doing is right, it's ok, it's these people who aren't ok, and I'm going to prove it to you.'

'By taking me to your car?'

'By taking you on a road trip.' Light corrected him.

'Where to?'

'You'll see.'

'Light…'

'Come on.'

Light pulled L away again, this time the raven haired boy had been marginally prepared and struggled a little less with keeping up, but it was still difficult. The wintery landscape rushed by in white streaks, dotted with the occasional splash of colour from a students jacket or an extended brown smudge that was one of the school buildings. L nearly slipped on the icy concrete a dozen times and every time wished that Wammy's campus was smaller.

The charcoal coloured car park began to grow closer, closer, until it wasn't far off like a ill-realised dream, but tangible, one hundred meters, fifty meters, twenty five meters. Light stopped, and L almost ran into him, trying so hard to stop that he wound up slipping and falling hard on his backside.

'What?' He asked Light.

The brunette didn't respond so L looked for himself. Sitting at the bus stop wrapped in a cream coloured coat was Kiyomi. Pure Beauty. That's what her name meant, L remembered telling her that last year and her laughing off the notion that there was anything beautiful or feminine about her. Indeed, in the last week L had begun to see where she was coming from. She'd abandoned them to wolves, not saying a word in defence of either of them as the school ridiculed them. But here and now, apart from everyone she did look beautiful, a lone sentinel, the last watchman.

'L.' Light said, handing him the keys. 'Go to the car, I need to sort something out.'

L took the keys and Light's backpack and left for the car.

The brunette walked toward Kiyomi, her glossy hair, perfect features, and severe expression making her look as icy as the winter around her. Of all the hurt Light had experienced in the last week the hardest had been losing her, a friend. she'd been controlled by the beast jealousy, it stripped her of th all the qualities Light had once admired in her, the poise, grace, self-assured nature, and left nothing in it's place. L was caring, Misa was kind, Kiyomi was consumed, gone. Light had no real wish to speak to her, and he imagined that she didn't want to talk to him, but when she glanced at him, saw him approaching, he knew that they both understood that this had to happen.

'You're leaving.' They said simultaneously.

'Only for a day.' Light said.

'Forever.' Kiyomi said. 'I'm never coming back.'

Light was going to sit next to her, but before he even got close Kiyomi stood to face him. He halted, understanding that she had laid out an invisible boundary, one she had created not just then, but with all her actions. For the first time ever, Kiyomi looked without pride. It was startling, Light only knew her as the strong and powerful woman, smart and independent, but here she looked beaten, defeated for good.

'So this is goodbye?' Light asked.

Kiyomi nodded.

'I used to think that I was Chang'e and you would be Hou Yi.' Kiyomi said.

'As in the fairytale.'

'The same.' Kiyomi confirmed. 'I'm a rational person, but I thought that there might be a place for a fairytale in there too, but that was dream, and dreams are pretend. I let it control me and I hurt people as a result. I'm sorry.'

'It's ok.'

'I'm not apologising to you.' Kiyomi said bitterly. 'I'm sorry that I believed that people could be good. You're like fire Light Yagami, you burn people, you burnt me. And if you're like fire then L like ice, and you'll hurt him too.'

Light remained silent, watching Kiyomi. She didn't look strong anymore, all the qualities Light admired in her were absent. She was just a wraith, a husk of the person that Kiyomi had once been. _'Was this my fault? She believed that she could find happiness with me. No. It's not, I won't let myself believe that. This is on her, she built up that fantasy, not me.'_

'L isn't ice.' Light said. 'He's not cold like that, he's warm and kind, that's why I chose him, why I chose Misa, over you. Kindness.'

'Was there ever a chance?'

Light shook his head.

KIyomi stepped towards Light slowly and kissed him, Light didn't do anything to stop her, it didn't mean anything to him. He didn't kiss back, he didn't hold her, he didn't close his eyes. He let Kiyomi kiss him, her lips cold and ungiving, there was just nothing there, none of the passion he felt for L, that he once felt for Misa. Kiyomi was cold. She broke away. The moment she pulled away Light turned to leave, his feet leaving a perfect trail in the snow away from her.

'Fine.' She said. 'Go.'

'Goodbye Kiyomi Tadaka.' Light said, for the very last time.

He didn't expect he'd see Kiyomi again, he didn't want to either.

…

Near sat hallway up the narrow staircase in BB's that led to Linda's apartment. They were old and steep, curving two-thirds of the way down straight into the cafe proper. Near sat just before this curve, hidden by an old tea-with-a-splash-of-milk coloured wall. When Linda had told him that Mello, Matt, and Neo were downstairs he hadn't felt ready to face them, but he'd found himself drawn down, the urge to be with them again fighting against his urge to hide away. There he sat listening to their occasional talk, but mostly they must be sitting in silence. Near wondered how Matt and Neo were, he'd heard about their shambles of a first date and wondered what had caused them to unify like this, _'Is it me, do they know I'm here?'_

The answer to their unification presented itself in the form of a shrill and all too-familiar voice.

'Hello.'

Mother.

'You're here.' Mello said dumbly.

Near smiled inwardly at that, for all his intelligence and wit Mello, _'my Mello',_ could manage to sound the complete idiot at times.

'Yes. Now you can explain why you called me here.'

 _'So that's why Matt and Neo are working together, to talk to my mother?'_ Near found himself puzzled, his mother had hardly done anything to warrant his fiends talking to her, it simply made no logical sense. After all her mother had essentially caused the chain of events that led to his running away, Mello hitting him, everything they'd worked hard to build collapsing underneath them. _'No. That was me, it was my ill-conceived plan that brought this about. Mello's and orphan I should have known he'd react badly.'_ Near wriggled around, pulled his leg slightly tighter against his chest, and settled in to listen.

'We asked you here to talk about Near.' Matt said.

 _'Matt talking first is probably wise, he is the most diplomatic.'_ Near thought wryly.

'I have nothing to say to you… you freaks.' Mrs River huffed.

Near felt the urge to go downstairs and argue with her, but that quickly subsided. The thought of seeing Mello, Matt, Neo, his mother, after all the worry he'd put them through, after disrespecting them, he wasn't sure he could manage it.

'Please, we just want to talk.' Matt asked politely.

'I have nothing to say to the people that turned my son into a dress-wearing, homosexual animal.' Mrs River spat. 'You psychologically destroyed him.'

Near clenched and unclenched his fists. The will to go downstairs and shout down his mother was growing quickly. _'How could she be so judgemental, so inconsiderate? Doesn't she realise this is the source of the entire problem?'_ Near wanted to tell her that she knew nothing of psychological destruction, she hadn't been there when he needed her the most, she had no right to act the way she did.

'Pardon fucking me.' Mello said loudly. 'We were not the ones psychologically destroy Near.'

'What are you insinuating?' Mrs River asked, there was so much venom in her voice that Near didn't need to be downstairs to know how dangerous of a look she was giving.

'I'm saying.' Mello replied with equal venom. 'That we weren't the ones who were negligent parents.'

'How… what… did Near tell you?'

'Yes.' Mello said.

'Mels…' Matt said.

'And he told us a whole lot more than he ever told you, so shut the fuck up because you're only making an embarrassment of yourself, you barely have a dialogue with your son let alone an actual relationship!'

'How dare you!' Mrs River screeched.

Near heard a chair scrape against the floor downstairs, doubtless his mother going to leave. It was probably a good thing that they were the only ones in BB's, Linda was letting them use it as a meeting place after hours. If there were actual customers they probably all would have been staring aghast at the obnoxiously loud and personal argument.

'Mello, Mrs River, please!' Matt begged, trying, unsuccessfully, to be the peacemaker.

'No, I will not talk to such a rude little freak.' Mrs River said.

'Fine.' Mello retorted. 'Because I don't want to talk to such a horribly out of touch and controlling bit-'

'Both of you sit down and shut up before I skin you and sell your internal organs to a Mexican cartel.' Neo bellowed, raising her voice to a terrifying decibel.

Another set of scrapes, two chairs being dragged across the ground, a loud snapping sound. Near grinned at the last one, only realising now just how fond he'd grown of Mello's little habits like the mannerisms of his excessive chocolate eating. Neo it seemed, had also been raised to a completely new level of terrifying, the fact that she had just managed to subdue to bulls ready to run for the red cape proving it.

'It's because you and Near have a bad relationship that we want to talk to you.' Neo said, her voice returning to it's usual deadpan/sarcastic mix than the shout of moments earlier.

'What do you mean?' Mrs River asked.

'We.' Matt said, taking the reigns of the conversation again. 'That is, Mello, Neo, and me.'

'Neo and I.' Neo said absentmindedly.

'Shut up Neo.' Matt and Mello said together, Matt then continued. 'The three of us, none of us have parents really. To put simply we envy the chance Near has, he doesn't know what it means to have that all taken away, be there one moment and gone the next, and we're sure as hell not going to let him throw it away.'

'That's why we wanted to talk to you.' Neo interjected.

'To help you take steps to fixing it.' Matt said.

'But why would you do so much?' Mrs River asked.

'Because we love Near.' Matt said simply. 'We're the only family we have and he's become a part of that, and you don't leave people in the cold like that.'

 _'I'm family to them?'_

'Family?' Mrs River asked.

There was no response so Near assumed that the three were probably nodding to confirm. _'Family. Did I ever have that? Have I ever thought of my mother as family, are they my real family.'_ Near began to twirl a lock of hair as he thought and listened.

'I get that Near might not want anything to do with me, shit, I certainly wouldn't.' Mello said. 'But we owe it to him and ourselves, we know what it's like to be left alone in the world, and we're going to make sure he doesn't have to live with that, not fucking ever.'

Silence.

No quick response from Near's mother, what was she doing? Leaving quietly? Thinking? Glaring? How was she taking this talk? Near wanted to defend the last ten steps to find out, but he didn't dare, how could he face them? After all they were doing for him, when he'd created all this trouble for them? _'I don't deserve these friends, this family.'_ Near stood, _'I can do this, I can face them.'_

'I just want to be as close to my son as you are.' Mrs River said quietly.

 _'I wanted to be that close to you mother, why didn't you ever say anything?'_ Near thought. he took the first step, nine left, nine simple steps. _'Why didn't she say anything? Because by the time she was ready to she had stopped listening. I'm as bad as her.'_ He took the second step, eight to go.

'You can't force Near to do anything.' Matt said. 'You just have to wait, he'll come back to you in his own time, he wants a mother, I know it.'

 _'I do want a mother.'_ Near thought. _'I want someone to hug me and tell me it will all be ok, that I can't be hurt, that no matter what they'll protect me.'_ Step. Seven left to go.

'I just want him to know that I love him.' Mrs River said quietly.

'You should try telling him from time to time.' Neo said, not a trace of sarcasm in her voice.

 _'Does she really? How do I know? How can I trust her, I want to trust her but I can't be sure, I don't know how.'_ Near hovered over the next step, he couldn't the will or the belief. A voice rang through his head. _'Trust is not knowing but stepping anyway.'_ He took the step, six to go.

'I just wanted him to tell me he loved me…' Mrs River said.

Near froze. A cold sweat broke out on his arms and brow, he began to shake.

 _'Tell me that you love me. Say it!'_

 _'He can't hurt me, he can't.'_ Near told himself. _'He's not here, he doesn't know who I am, I'm safe… I just want to feel safe.'_ Mello embrace made him feel safe. Matt's kindness made him feel safe. Neo's ferocity made him feel safe (as long as he was not on the receiving end). _'A mother could make me feel safe, why can't I take the step? Take it!'_

Near couldn't make himself move, the urge to cower and the urge to go on creating an equilibrium with him, pinning him to the spot. He tried to rationalise everything, to use logic to urge a step. _'My mother is not that man, she doesn't know about it, her words are just a coincidence. She makes me angry, yes, frustrated, yes, brash, yes. But I have no reason to be afraid. I shouldn't be afraid.'_ Near knew he shouldn't be, but he couldn't urge the step.

'I know the feeling.' Mello said. 'I had to wait so fucking long for Near to say he loved me, but when he did, well, it was worth the wait.'

'You must really love him to go to all this effort.'

'I do love him.' Mello said. 'I just want him back if he'll have me, and that's all there is to it.'

 _'I want to be back Mello, I'll take you back, please take me back.'_ Near thought. _'I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry, for every stupid thing I did or said, I'm so sorry, please I just want to be back.'_ Near shook, on the verge of tears, the phantom hands were crawling on his skin again, old words whispering in his ears, that man, his demand for love. _'He's not real, I won't be controlled, I won't be afraid.'_

Step. Six.

Step. Five. Step. Four. Step. Three. Step. Two. Step. One. Step. Mello.

There he was, just the same as Near remembered him, clad in tight leather, a chocolate bar in hand and looking like he was about to explode. The sounds of Near's soft steps drew his attention, his head turned, face becoming visible, his scar, his eyes, a azure as the sky and as deep as an ocean. _'I missed you Mello, but I'm here, I'm here now.'_

'Near…' Mello said completely surprised.

'Take me back.' Near said. 'I want you, please, just want me too.'

 **To Be Concluded**

* * *

 _A/N: I have some bad news for anyone whose 'super duper' into this story (if any of you exist), this chapter is the second last chapter for Of Ravens and Doves, yep the next one is the last one! This chapter is also going to be the last chapter that Misa or Kiyomi appear in, cause their stories are kind of done (who noticed that the last thing they both said to Light was 'Go' but it meant completely different things, I think that pretty much sums up their character arcs). So yes, the next chapter all will be solved, resolved, and reconciled, I have some nice moments planned for each pairing! Please leave a review if you liked this chapter and stay tuned for the final instalment!_


	39. Chapter 34: A Raven and a Dove

_A/N: Well here it is, the final chapter, it's been quite a journey. Anyway, one last time, enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing from Death Note._

* * *

'Near…'

'Take me back.' Near said. 'I want you, please, just want me too.'

For a moment nothing was said, everyone stared at Near, shock on the faces of his mother, Mello, and Matt, a sly grin on Neo's. Near stared back at them, breathing heavily, getting down those stairs had been an ordeal, mentally and physically. He felt drained, he'd had to push with every fibre of his being, and now he could see whether it had all been worth the effort.

Mello took a step towards Near, then another, then another. He broke out into a sprint, knowing down a chair on the way, and in a second had Near in his embrace. He pulled the albino tight, so incredibly tight. And Near finally felt safe, he was back where he was meant to be.

'You idiot.' Mello said. 'Of course I want you.'

Near breathed out heavily, a strange sense of release filling him, with Mello he felt safe, at home, and this was where he was meant to be. And then, for the first time in a week and half, they kissed. It was long and passionate, Near didn't realise how much he'd missed this, Mello's body, so close to his.

There was a quite cough, Near and Mello broke apart, Neo, Matt, and Mrs River were watching them awkwardly. Neo looked like she'd just witnessed something disgusting, Matt was enthralled, Mrs River horrified. Near and Mello broke apart fully, but the albino took the blondes hand, a symbolic effort in a sense, to demonstrate to his mother how much Mello meant.

'Well…' Mello said.

'Indeed.' Near added.

Another awkward silence, it probably all would have been fine had Mrs River not been there, but she'd just witnessed her son kissing Mello, and whilst not the first time she'd seen it, this time there was no denying that it was consensual. She could no longer accuse Mello of taking advantage of Near, she'd had undeniable proof that her son was indeed in a romantic relationship with another boy. What would happen next remained to be seen.

'Well.' Matt said quietly. 'If that's all done I'll be going.'

He turned quickly and left, a sad expression flickering on his face for a second. There no time for anyone to object,one moment he was there, the next the little bell tinkled and the door was swinging back shut. Nobody said anything, none of them sure what to do. Neo's stare intensified, she pulled her scarf tight, and a moment later she was gone, making a quick pace to catch up with Matt.

'Well o-fucking-k.' Mello said.

Near and Mrs River ignored him, instead they looked at each other, their eyes meeting for the first time in a long time, both finally beginning to understand the other.

'Nate.'

'Mother.'

'Mother. Ha. Not a very good one.'

'And I'm not a very good son.' near said.

'Then it seems we're both terrible.'

'Or maybe it's a matter of perspective.'

'I'd like to have a second go at being a good mother, if you'd like that.'

'I would.'

'Your friends are right, you have a family, they're your family.'

'We could use a mother.' Mello interjected.

'We'll just take it a step at a time.' Mrs River said.

'That seems logical.' Near agreed.

Mrs River smiled, a quite smile, bittersweet. Near looked at her, for the first time in a long time, he really felt empathy for her, he cared about her. _'She just want's me to tell he I love her, that's the first step, but she doesn't understand that it's the hardest thing for me to do.'_ Near willed himself to find the words, to power, the belief, the conviction, the heart. Even as he thought about saying them phantom hands and whispered words began to creep up on him, every instinct told him to stop, but he couldn't, he wouldn't.

'I…' Near began. 'I…'

 _'Tell me that you love me. Say it.'_

Near tensed, every muscle constricting. Mello felt it, Near's hand tighten. He looked at the albino, it was there in the corner of his eyes, the struggle. Mello tightened his grip on Near's hand, the albino glanced at him, Mello smiled at him.

'I'm here.' He whispered.

'Mother, I…'

 _'He's not here, he has no power, no control, I won't be controlled by that man, I won't.'_

'I love you.' Near said.

Mrs River moved towards her son, much as Mello had done a minute earlier, and took him in a warm embrace. It was the kind of hug that only a mother could give, protective, nurturing, a simple promise. Near didn't say anything, it was all new, the first time he'd experienced motherly love. Mrs River pulled Mello into the hug, a wordless acceptance of him, his relationship with Near, his part in their lives. The three of them continued to hug, the makings of a strange and makeshift family.

The phantom hands, the whispers, the shadow that man cast seemed a little more distant now. Near supposed that he would never fully escape it, some things, some wounds, never fully healed. There would always be a scar, a mark, that's just how it worked. Sometimes those weights would hold him down like a burden on his back, other times they would weigh nothing more than a penny in his pocket. But while he was with Mello, his mother, his friends, that man had less power, because Near was loved, and he had people he loved.

…

'Matt, stop.' Neo called.

Matt ignored her, pulled his coat a little tighter as he marched down the snow covered street. Neo charged after him, her stride filled wiht more purpose than she had felt for many years. She was determined a sense of energy and need filling her. There was no scowl on her face, no cruel smile, no angry glare, just eyes of steel.

'Neo stop…' Matt said.

'Matt, for god's sake it's cold.'

'Then go back inside.'

'Not without you.' Neo said.

Matt stopped. Turned to face Neo. Emerald met Steel, snow continued to fall, uncontrollable, just a force of nature. Matt lifted his goggles slowly, assessing Neo with his own eyes, rather than through a tinted haze of orange.

'I can't do this Neo.' Matt said. 'I can't risk hurting you.'

'Matt you're a good person.'

'So was my father.' Matt yelled. 'He was good once, he cared for his family. But people change, slowly but surely until they're nothing like they once were. Look at Near, remember when he was quite and robotic, look at him now Neo. Some people end up like Near, stronger, happier, and some people end up like my father. He was good once Neo. He was good.'

'And you believe that you're not?' Neo asked.

Matt clenched his fist, unclenched. That was all he needed, all his father ever needed, it only took a pair of fists to tear apart lives. Two fists, one for Kris, one for his mother, two lives Matt's father destroyed, _'he killed Mail too, because I'm Matt. It only took my father, with nothing more than his bare hands, to destroy his wife, his children. I can't end up like him, I won't hurt people, I just won't.'_

'I don't know Neo. I want to believe that I'm good, but in that moment, I felt the urge, I wanted to hurt Mello.'

'Oh come on, we've all wanted to hit Mello in the face before, that doesn't make you special.'

'But where does it stop?' Matt asked, demanded. 'I hurt one person, even in the defence of another, and the ball is already rolling. I might hurt another, and another, where does it stop? Where does the monster begin?'

Neo took a step towards Matt, and single solitary step, snow crunching beneath her feet. He seems a little closer, the emotions on his face a little more visible, his eyes more uncertain.

'The monster begins with the will.' Neo said firmly. 'We all have the potential to be monsters, or we have the potential to be better. But you have to have the will, the certainty that you are better than everyone, that it doesn't matter who you step on.'

'How do you know when you've become that?' Matt asked, pleading. 'How do you know Neo?'

 _'You never know.'_ Neo thought. _'You just hope and pray, you believe that you're better. It's not the expression on your face, or the consequences of your action, it's the belief in your heart.'_ Neo took another step, another set of prints in the snow, Matt's face slightly clearer, slightly closer.

'You don't.' Neo said. 'It's not knowing, it's the questioning. If you worry about it then you're not it, that's all there is to it. It's how I know that you're good, because you're scared that you might not be.'

Another step. She was maybe ten meters away now.

'But-' Matt began.

'-You can't fix the past Matt.' Neo said, cutting him off. 'You can't change what happened, saving Near didn't bring Kris back. I'm sorry but that can't be changed. Nothing that happened can be changed. All we can do is remember them, and take steps forward for them. You couldn't save Kris, but you could help save Near. That's what matters now.'

'Neo-'

'No Matt.' Neo said. 'Just no. If you focus on the past you become it. That's what will turn you into your father. Please, you can't save Kris, but you can keep living, for him.'

Matt didn't say anything, Neo could see that he was struggling not to cry. She could't think of what else to say, what words would help him. He seemed hell bent on a path that she couldn't follow him down, she didn't want to lose him. _'You're the first person in years I've felt this way for, I can't let you go. I just don't know what to say.'_

Then it hit her. She didn't have to say anything, but recite. She began to step forward, words flowing from her lips, laced in the lyrical tone that she saved on for poems:

'From the broken bone of the hill

Stripped and left for dead

like a wrecked skull,

leaps out this bush of blood.

.

Out of the torn earth's mouth

come the old cry of praise.

Still the song made flesh

though the singer dies-

.

flesh of the world's delight,

voice of the world's desire,

I drink you with my sight

and I am filled with fire.

.

Out of the very wound

springs up the scarlet breath-

this fountain of hot joy

this living ghost of death.'

Neo stopped, just one step away from Matt. The tears brimming were close now, she could almost smell the salt in them. He didn't look weak or pathetic, but resilient and strong, but uncertain, as if two roads lay before him and he knew not which one to take.

'Matt.' Neo said. 'I know that living in the past doesn't work. I used to look to my mother, she was my strength, but I couldn't move forward. But I can now, because you're my strength Matt, because when I see you, I am filled with fire.'

'I don't know if I can trust myself.' Matt said in a hoarse whisper. 'I don't want to be alone, but I don't know if I won't hurt anyone.'

Neo smiled, a true genuine smile. Matt wasn't entirely sure whether he liked the expression on her face but now wasn't the time for that kind of comment, he knew that beneath all that kinds she was displaying there still lurked the urge to punch something. She seemed so close, within reach, he didn't have Mello anymore, but he could just have her.

'I don't know how not to be alone.' Neo said. 'But I'll try for you.'

Matt looked at his hand again. It was so simple, just flesh clutching to thin and breakable bones, but he'd seen what it could do, and he didn't want to do that to Neo.

'But how can I be certain I won't hurt you?'

'You can't.' Neo said. 'But you can put your hands in mine, so then you can't use them to hurt anyone but me.'

'Neo I-' Matt said.

'I'm willing to take that risk, I trust you not to hurt me even when I give you that power.'

'Neo...'

'You want to be alone for the safety of others, I don't know how not to be alone. Maybe that's the way it's meant to be. But if you want, if you'd like, then maybe we could try being alone together?'

She held out her hand, palm open, asking to be filled. Matt obliged, taking her hand in his own and pulling her close, into an embrace. They hugged, sharing their warmth, alone on a street of winter white. Matt held Neo tightly, not wanting to let go, Neo let him hold on, though she still wasn't very comfortable with hugging.

'We can take it slowly.' Neo said. 'One step at a time, keeping our eyes here and now, on each other.'

'I'd like that.' Matt replied.

They hugged a little longer, Neo nuzzling herself against Matt's chest, which rose and fell slowly, melodically. Matt rested his face on Neo's shoulder, she was just the right height. Finally he broke the silence:

'Ok, but when you say slow, how slow are we talking. On like a scale from internet explorer to sonic the hedgehog?'

Neo smiled, he couldn't help but ruin a perfect moment, at least a perfect moment by most standards. Maybe another girl would find that unromantic, but she loved it, Matt was weird, she was weird, a cliche romance just wasn't for them.

'Around about old people driving slow.' She replied softly.

'Ok.'

More silence, more hugging. Finally Matt broke away, a very serious look in his eyes.

'I have a question.' He said, Neo titled her head in curiosity. 'Can I wear your scarf?'

Neo smiled, leant in slowly, he lips speeding towards Matt, but at the last moment she moved the side, so her mouth was centimetres away from Matt's ear.

'Only if you want my to use nitrogen to freeze your legs and then smash it with a hammer.' She said sweetly.

'That all?' Matt replied. 'Almost seems worth it.'

'Shut up and kiss me.'

'Sure thing, chicken wing.'

'Chicken wing? God, what a way to kill the mood.'

'No, I'm sorry, I'll get the mood back, I'm the master of mood.' Matt said, then added proudly. 'The mood master.'

'The mood is dead and now it's buried. Come on, lets back to campus.'

'Neo!'

'I'm serious.'

'Please.'

She smiled.

'Kiss me you dork.'

'With pleasure.'

…

They'd driven all through the afternoon and into the early evening, until the sky were that kind of deep grey where the sun had set but residual light coming from beyond the horizon kept the day not quite done. Not a single star had blinked into life, but that couldn't be fat off now. L was finding it very hard to stay awake between the hum of the engine, unchanging black of the road, and contact blurry green of the countryside passing by, but he tried his best.

Light refused to tell him what was going on and even recommended that he shut his eyes for a few minutes, but L wasn't having any of it. The brunette wouldn't give away a single hint about their destination or why it was so important that they go. L deduced based on the signs that they passed that their destination was the nearby large city, but what they would be doing there was a mystery. L couldn't think of anything pressing enough to justify that they leave immediately, nor anything particularly that would be in a city that they couldn't get back at Wammy's. Beyond clubs (which they were to young for) or some kind of cultural exhibit (which might very well be closed by this time) there didn't seem to be anything.

Still L managed to find pleasure in having escaped the toxic environment that was Wammy's. They'd become effective social pariah's and a dark cloud of judgement and dislike hung around them wherever they went on campus. The whispers and rumours had died down but the expression and stares said it all, it would be some time before either of them were forgiven, if at all. The knowledge that Wammy's grew more distant with every passing second gave L some respite, a small burden was lifted for a little time, even if they would have to go back tomorrow.

The car passed into the suburbs of the city, and began to burrow into the city proper. There wasn't much else to do, so L began to count the street lamps they passed under, one, two, three, four, more, each an amber island in an darkening ocean. The first lights went on in the houses, silhouettes moving passed windows, normal people going about their normal evening routines. What would they think if they met Light and L? Would they hate them as much as the students at Wammy's? Would they care at all. In a world so big and so full of people it seemed foolish to hate people based on something so trivial. It seemed even more foolish to let it affect you, but L had, and Light had, that was the motivation behind their sudden overnight flight from the campus. The knowledge that they'd have to go back to a world where their only allies were 'the four weirdest kids at school' and the girl that Light had cheated on seemed depressing. That wasn't to say that their friends weren't good people, but when compared to to the amount of people that hated them, they were like ripples compared to waves.

L yawned, the street lights had a hypnotic affect, they were luring him into a sweet sleep and he couldn't be bothered resisting anymore. He was jolted awake by the car stopping suddenly, they were wherever Light wanted them to go.

'Come on Sleepy.' Light said, shaking L awake.

'Fine.' L mumbled. 'But if I'm Sleepy you're Dopey.'

'No way, I'm Doc.'

Light led L over a few blocks toward the sound of a large crowd. As they cut through an ally to where the people were L was intrigued by the noise, there must have been hundreds of people, if not thousands on the other side. Who were they, what where they doing? He did't bother to ask Light, he knew he wouldn't get a straight answer, the brunette had been secretive the whole way here. L equally wondered what was in the backpack, but again, he saved his breath.

They came out of the alley and were confronted by landscape of colour and sound. People, brightly dressed and over excited, covered the street. L was taken aback by the people around him. Women dressed in suits, men in drag, people shirtless of in costumes with more feathers than peacocks on display. Some were on the ground, some on motorbikes laden with rainbow flags, and others still on massive floats. But of all the things that stood out to Light it was the glitter, it was like someone had let off a million glitter bombs, everyone, everything, glittered and sparkled in the artificial lighting.

'A Mardi Gras?' L asked, confused.

Light nodded, and pulled off his backpack, opened it, and started fishing around inside for something. L had a thousand questions he wanted to ask, but didn't get the chance because a moment later Light had finished his search and threw something at the raven haired boy. L caught it, his relaxes complying for once rather than behaving their usual clumsy selves. L looked, it was a pair of multi-coloured swim trunks that looked about four sizes two small, Light held a matching pair.

'Strip.' Light commanded, working at the buttons on his shirt. 'And stick those on.'

'But we're in the middle of a crowd.' L protested, going slightly red in the face at the thought.

'Who cares.' Light said with a laugh, and then pointed. 'Look, they're doing the exact same thing, and those guys too.'

L followed Light's finger and sure enough the two groups he indicated were in the process of stripping completely and changing into their own outfits, one of them was totally naked. Nobody seemed to care, everyone just going about their own business. L gave Light a protesting look but the brunette wasn't having any of it. The raven haired boy succumbed and began to strip, getting the occasional wold-whistle or comment as he changed which made him flush a deep red, but for the most part being left alone.

'Light-' L began when they finished, but the brunette interrupted him by dragging him away quickly.

Light led L to a group of very happy looking men in fairy costumes, each of whom had spray cans in hand. L went wide eyed, Light couldn't be serious.

'Hey.' The lead fairy said. 'Need a touch of fab?'

'Sure do.' Light said.

Before L had a chance to stop them a trio of fairies were upon him, spraying his overly exposed body with the cans. By the time they were finished he was coughing heavily, a thick feeling and strange smelling cloud hanging around him. Before he got the chance to talk to Light the brunette was dragging him away again toward a mirror. L looked at himself, his reflection showed someone incredibly uncomfortable. Thankfully he was pallid all so there weren't any humiliating tan lines, but his thin frame was totally devoid of muscle, unlike Light, who was all muscle. They both been coated head to toe in glitter spray, and their hair had been sprayed a rainbow, L wasn't looking forward to washing that out. As a result, of the two, Light looked far more ok with the fact that he was dressed in nothing but swim trunks that were so tight that nothing was left to the imagination.

'It's going to start in about a minute.' Light said.

'Why are we here?' L asked, relishing the fact that they'd finally stopped long enough to talk.

'What do you mean?'

'Well.' L said, indicating that how they looked. 'I didn't think we were about this sort of thing, I thought we were about us.'

'That's why we are here: for us.'

'What?' L asked, completely confused.

'L, over the last week we've been falling into a rut, our relationship was dominated by the hatred we've received. But who cares what the people at school think, who cares what they say or how they act, Misa was able to put it behind her, the rest of them are just small and petty. We shouldn't let them get us down, because they don't matter. We should have the one thing, the one thing this event has.'

'A complete colour spectrum?' L said.

'Pride. I don't want to be ashamed. I don't want to have to love you behind closed doors because of what they think. I love you L. I'm proud of that. And I want to wear that pride on my sleeve for the world to see-'

'-Well you'll need a shirt to wear it on your sleeve-' L said.

'-So let's march. For ourselves. We're in love L, lets scream it with pride, let the entire world know because we don't care who hears, we don't care what they think, what they say, because they won't ever take our pride.'

Light face was glowing, not sparkling because of the glitter, but glowing. There was an energy awake within him that L had never seen before. L looked back in the mirror, he was glowing too, a silent but powerful energy was within him. He kissed Light, his lips tasted of manufactured glitter, but that didn't matter, because Light was right, he shouldn't care, they were in love and he was proud of it. There was a momentous cheer from the ground and the parade began to move. Light smiled and pulled L toward the column of people, ready to join.

'Be proud L. Be Proud.' He shouted over the noise, smiling in a way L had never seen before.

 _'That smile, that speech, this march, our pride, and that glow in our faces and that twinkle behind out eyes._

 _It's Love.'_

…

Near and Mello were in Near's dorm, they'd been outside for the last two hours, with the newly officiated Matt and Neo enjoying each others company. Just for once they had decided to let go of all their pressing matters, the schoolwork, explaining Near's extended absence, getting food, all was cast aside for a little while. Instead they had enjoyed the snow, reverting back to the minds of their child selves, before anything had ever happened, before they'd been hurt and grown up. They made snow angels, build snowmen, had snowball fights, being the children they never got the chance to be.

Matt and Neo were still outside, they could see the two of them from Near's window, last time they'd checked Neo had been burying Matt alive, so they decided it was probably best just to leave them to it. Instead, after they'd both had a quick hot shower, Mello and Near focused on each other, catching up on a week and half's worth of physical affection. It was vicious, Mello had all the power, the superior strength, but Near wasn't giving up without a fight. They danced across the room, lips locked, hands running up and down each other, both determined not to be the one to finally submit.

Near made many an attempt to gain control, using his slightly superior intelligence to try and make up for his lacking physicality. He even succeeded in taking control for a few moments, but Mello managed to wrestle it back a moment later. In the end Mello stumbled on a winning tactic, he found that pushing Near's boundaries distracted him. But because the albino was determined not to give in he'd allow Mello to push them further, further flustering Near. Essentially it didn't matter whether Near gave in or not, Mello had complete control.

And seeing as Near was allowing him to go further, Mello decided to take full advantage of it. Near was wearing one of his many pairs of white pyjama's again, and Mello still found them as annoying as the first day he'd laid eyes upon Near, before revitalising his wardrobe and then turning him into a cross-dresser. So Mello began to slowly undo the buttons on Near's pyjama top. He could feel the albino growing more tense, they were crossing into uncharted territory, but Near wasn't objecting so Mello continued.

Eventually he managed to undo all the buttons and work the top of Near completely, but the albino still wouldn't give in. So Mello set to work on Near's pants, pulling them down the albino's pale white legs until they were off completely and Near was dressed only in his underwear. And still he wouldn't give in, except now, Mello noticed, some of the tension seemed to be gone. He stared Near down, analysing his eyes, what did they say? There was a spark in them, a new idea, Near was about to try something he'd never done before.

And indeed he did, in one swift movement wrapping his legs around Mello's torso and tipping the both of them off the couch, using Mello as a cushion as they both hit the floor. Near then began to work at the blondes leather singlet, unzipping it and pulling it off. Mello saw where this was going and didn't seem any reason to object, so he let Near continue. The albino then began to work at Mello's leather pants, undoing the belt and beginning to pull them down. And then he stopped.

'No.' Mello moaned. 'Near, what are you doing?'

'What's this?' Near asked, patting Mello's pocket.

Mello cast his memory back, what was it? The letter. The one Neo had given him when she'd given him the prep talk about getting over himself and finding Near. He rolled his eyes, she didn't even have to be there and she was making his life a living hell, causing Near to stop.

'It's just a letter.' Mello said.

'A letter. From whom?'

'Neo.'

'Neo?'

'Yeah, she gave it to me and said it could only be opened when I'd found you.'

Mello deemed that enough of an explanation and tried to return to what he and Near had been doing a moment before, but Near wasn't having a moment of it. Instead of returning to kissing and pulling Mello's clothes off he was fumbling at the pocket of the leather trousers. Mello sighed.

'Come on Near, later.'

'No, we should read it.' Near said.

'Near…'

'We can continue afterwards.'

'Come on…'

'Mello.'

'Fine. Whatever. Damn it Near.'

Mello huffed, sat up, his leather pants still halfway down his legs, and began to pull the letter out of his pocket. After a bit of struggling he finally managed it, wrenching the yellow envelope from the tight leather. It was bent, clearly he hadn't taken it out of his pocket since Neo had given it to him. He ripped it open and pulled out a large sheet of paper, completely covered in words. He sighed, he'd been hoping it was one of Neo's 'pranks' and that there'd just be a sheet of skin inside or something, but no, she had actually written a letter.

Near shuffled quickly and sat in Mello's lap, so he too could read the letter. Mello struggled to stay focused knowing there was just a thin layer of white fabric and a tight layer of leather between his skin and Near's, but he managed.

'Read it out.' Near said.

'You can read just fine.' Mello replied.

'Please.'

'Whatever.'

Mello cleared his throat.

'Dear Mello and Near,

If you're reading this now then it means that Near's finally come out of wherever the hell it was he was hiding, and I swear to God Near if you ever pull that again I will surgically remove your eyelids and force you to watch as I slowly extract your intestines and use them to strangle you.

But enough of that, I have a few things to say.

You two probably only think of me as weird, into literature and the macabre, and having little care about anyone or anything, and that's true, but that doesn't mean that I don't know how emotions and relationships work, as much as I'd want to hide it, and that I won't dish out advice when my friends need it. Because, lets face it, if you guys are going to honestly make this work, you're going to need it.

So first of all, you two are idiots, I just want to clarify this fact before I write anything else, you may individually have the IQ of L, Light, Matt, and Myself combined by you're still both a pair of total morons.

Next, you two fight, that's ok, you compete, and bicker, and fight all the time. Mello you scream at Near until you're hoarse, and Near you know how to push every last one of Mello's buttons and you just can't help but do it and watch him go ballistic. But then, you two make up by making out, and that's cool, that's how you work as a couple. But you have to recognise that fact, you can't keep acting like a fight is the end of the world for you two, because you've had at least four by my counting and you're still coming back together after each little 'falling out' like a pair of super-powered magnets.

Mello you hate Near with all your heart and Near the same goes for you, but that's ok, because love and hate are just two sides of the same coin.

Most people don't seem to understand this, but everything comes in twos, and those pairs appear to be absolute opposites, but really they're one and the same. For every raven there is a dove, but at the end of the day they are both just birds. Control and chaos, happiness and sadness, black and white, good and evil, man and woman, Matt and myself, and the two of you, apparent opposites, but in reality one and the same.

Hate is as powerful as love, and no less important. We can love something so much that we hate it, and hate something so much that grown fond of that feeling and fall in love, and that's what has happened with the two of you. Because Mello, at what point working with Near did you honestly stop hating him? And Near, at what point did you grow to enjoy Mello's wild mood swings and obnoxious way of eating chocolate?

I'll tell you: neither of you ever did.

You just grew to love each other as well as hating them.

So fight as much as you want, I don't think the two of you would work if you didn't, Near never stop being rational and emotionally oblivious, Mello never stop being a chocolate-consuming rage monster. Don't stop fighting because if you do then you will have forgotten how to love as well. Just when you do fight never let it get to you, sure one of you might have to sleep on the couch for a night or two, but always remember that you fight because you hate, and that means you love. If you remember that, then Near you won't run away, and Mello you'll always find the words to berate Near enough without emotionally traumatising him.

You two get stronger and closer after every fight, so I doubt you'll ever break up. I hope not, I'm actually looking forward to the Wedding, probably the only time I'll ever say or write that sentence. I expect the two of you to fight on that day as well, and Mello will probably throw a cake in his little brides face, because yes Near, you will be the bride, as if Mello is ever getting to let you have the pants in the relationship. Besides I can't wait to be the maid of honour, and Matt will actually have to make himself presentable for the day to be Mello's best man.

This letter wouldn't be from me if there wasn't a poem in it, so I got terribly drunk and wrote the one enclosed just for the two of you.

Never stop hating, never stop fighting, never stop loving.

Sincerely,

Satan.'

Mello and Near sat in silence, considering what Neo had written. She was right, all they did was fight, it was in their nature. She'd been 100% accurate and that made Mello unbelievably angry, but he ignored that feeling. _'She is right, all we do is fight. But I'm ok with that, I wouldn't have it any other way.'_

'Near.' Mello said.

'Yes?'

'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

He finished, cast the letter aside and began to start running his hands up Near's side, but again, Near seemed determined not to comply. Mello felt like screaming, but instead he took a deep breath and calmly asked:

'What now?'

'We didn't read the poem.'

'Fuck the fucking poem.'

'Mello.' Near said in a reproachful tone.

'Why does it matter?'

'Because I say so.'

Mello wished a wall was closer by so he could bash his head against it.

'Near please, I just want to get your clothes off so I can do ungodly things to you.'

Near went a little red but also smiled proudly.

'If you read out the poem then I promise you can do anything you want to me.' He said.

'Anything I want?'

'Anything you want.' He confirmed.

Mello ran a finger over Near's exposed chest.

'Even handcuff you to the bed, fuck you in the ass, and then once that's done make you suck my-'

Near went a very deep red and hastened to cut Mello off.

'As I said, anything you want.'

Mello smiled, it was cute how innocent he was, how he still got awkward and flustered over things like that. He decided to savour that reddened face and wide eyed expression, because Near wasn't going to be so innocent once he was done.

'What would your mother think if she heard you now?' Mello asked.

'Well I have no inclination to inform her.' Near said quickly, still very flustered. 'And I was not aware that you had any prerogative to do so, as a result it would seem unlikely that she would discover any activities that we-'

'Near.'

'What?'

'Shut the fuck up.'

Mello retrieved the letter and sat down to read it. Near seated himself once more on Mello's lap. In that moment Mello realised that he had never been happier, and he never would be. Near was it, all he needed. He couldn't believe that this was the same weird albino he'd made fun of in Rogers class, he'd hated him so much then. But they'd grown together, slowly surely, over pranks, and class assessments, and retreats to the lakehouse, until now Mello couldn't imagine life without him. Near looked over his shoulder at Mello, their eyes met. Near's were stormy as ever, even in a moment of such heated sexuality he was still thinking, his clockwork mind turning over, thoughts and idea's racing around in his head, Mello doubted they would ever stop. But Mello saw that beneath all those thoughts were his feelings, and Near felt the same as him, even if he didn't wear it on his sleeve like Mello did. Mello smiled and began to read:

'So tell me dove,

Why you fly with a raven,

His wings inky sinking black

A majestic thought you have craven?

The warble of his voice, it says:

'For alas sweet darling he is I

Two cawing creatures

Hidden amongst the flock.'

Wearing the ploy of foolery,

As some gallant guise to mock

But a Silly hopeful bird,

That rides with the winds of death

Or Haven't you heard?

But if peace be your branch

Then your olive I will crush

So we may sing like things in love

A Raven and a Dove.'

 **The End.**

* * *

 _A/N: And there it is, the end of the story! I hope it's everything you hoped and dreamed of, because there's no 'next chapter'. In the end this wasn't just a story about relationships and romance, but also about reconciling with your past, Near, Mello, Matt, and Neo all have issues to deal with, and that affects how they interact with each other. Where as the L and Light story line was more about self-discovery, with L, Light, Misa, and Kiyomi all finding out more about themselves, for better or for worse. I'm quite proud of how everything came out, how the characters developed. Their pasts were dark, their presents were uncertain, but the future is hopeful, and that's all we have in the end, hope. Anyway, this story is done, but I'm not done story telling. I've started another Death Note fic called 'Split Lightning', it's rated M and is a completely different kind of story, but the writing is, in my opinion, better, so I'd check it out. I'm also working on some original stories of my own that I hope to get published one day, so maybe, if I'm very lucky, you might see a book of mine on shelf somewhere, that's the dream. Please review if you see fit! Thank you to everyone who came on this journey with me, I hope you enjoyed it and got as much out of it as I did._


End file.
